By Zhang Han

China will take stronger measures to resolve social contradictions to ensure a harmonious and stable society this year amid rising social unrest and challenges from Western hostile forces, an official in charge of public security affairs said.

Chen Jiping, deputy director of the Central Committee for Comprehensive Management of Public Security, made the remarks in the Monday issue of Outlook Weekly, a publication under the Xinhua News Agency. The comments came after repeated calls from the Chinese leadership for enhanced social management and innovations over the matter.

Risk assessment on social stability should be taken before making any decision on major projects and policies, he said.

Professional mediation organizations would be established or enhanced to play a bigger role in resolving social problems, he said.

More efforts should be taken to investigate cases exposed by letters of complaints and visits, with special attention given to prominent problems affecting social stability, he said.

Crime prevention and control mechanisms in villages, towns and communities should be strengthened, he said.

Chen warned that a number of problems were still prominent, such as gang crime and weak social management in certain poor urban areas and the outskirts of cities.

Chen ascribed the problems to imbalanced and uncoordinated development between urban and rural areas and a wide income gap. "Since social management and services are lagging behind social development, we may frequently face social contradictions," he said.

However, China's national security and social stability are also being challenged by hostile external forces that aim to contain China's development.

"Some hostile Western forces always intentionally stage various incidents to interfere in our domestic affairs under the banner of safeguarding rights," he said.

The report was published days after President Hu Jintao said that the country is "still in a stage where many social conflicts are likely to arise. There are still many problems in China's social management" despite its remarkable development.

Hu urged provincial and ministerial-level officials to recognize the significance of social management improvement and innovations.

Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, called Sunday for the improvement and innovation of social management in China.

Li Changchun, also a member of the bureau, said Tuesday that spokespersons for CPC committees should efficiently release news and effectively guide public opinion to help promote social harmony.

Hu Xingdou, a professor at the Beijing Institute of Technology, told the Global Times that repeated concerns for social harmony from senior officials should be encouraged.

Hu called on the officials to push forward the development of a legal system.

Jin Canrong, a professor at the Renmin University of China, said there are some hostile Western forces that interfere in the country, and added that China should concentrate in resolving its own problems such as the uneven development between urban and rural areas.

Xinhua contributed to this story