Beijing municipal Party chief Guo Jinlong said over the weekend that counter-terrorism and the government's efforts to prevent violence should be part of the capital city's stability maintenance work after a jeep ploughed through crowds at Tiananmen Square, injuring five people and hurting 40 others on October 28.

It is clear that the attack was intended to be deadly. The attackers would have known the site's political significance and also that large number of tourists from within China and abroad show up daily. Inevitably, the victims of any violence there would be innocent people. The crash looked well-planned.

What happened in Tiananmen Square is another example of the repeated terror strikes and violence we have witnessed in recent years.

According to a report by the University of Maryland, US, more than 8,500 terrorist attacks killed nearly 15,500 people last year throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Constant suicide bombings have taken place in war-torn Iraq and Syria. Despite a strong focus on terrorism by the US, two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon in April, which also triggered widespread concern in China. Security has been tightened for the New York City marathon on Sunday.

The Tiananmen crash shows China is not immune to terrorism either. Ordinary lives can be lost in such violent attacks and such strikes can become a fatal threat.

In any country, public security is the basis for overall social stability. Stability maintenance aims at preventing social disorder that would have severe consequence to people's sense of security.

In the face of increased terror attacks, the public's sense of security will diminish, resulting in the gradual loss of confidence in China's role as a rising power in the world.

Therefore, stability maintenance in China needs multidimensional ­efforts from the country's leadership.

Meng Jianzhu, chief of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for cooperation on counter-terrorism measures at a meeting organized by members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Uzbekistan on Thursday.

The regional efforts with a larger perspective, together with vows from local officials, show China's determination in maintaining public security. At the same time, as stability maintenance concerns the people, it should also gain support from the public. The anti-terror war should begin well if we realize the deadly impact that terrorism has on society.