Beijing has taken steps to enhance security for the upcoming annual meeting of the national top legislature and political advisory body slated for early March, the municipal government said last Wednesday.

The National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), will hold their annual meetings in March, considered two of the most important political events in the country. Beijing is likely to accommodate thousands of NPC deputies and CPPCC members, as well as domestic and foreign journalists covering the events.

Zhou Yuqiu, head of the Beijing Production Safety Supervision Bureau, said the bureau will strive to eliminate any possible safety threats, especially in public places.

The bureau's deputy chief, Li Jianwei, said security examinations of more than 4,000 public places, enterprises and organizations began in January.

He said five inspection teams would go to "almost every corner of the city hunting for hidden troubles" that may develop into accidents or disasters.

Beijing reported 101 accidents in January, which left 112 dead, a slight fall from 114 accidents and 141 death in the same month one year ago.

In the Spring Festival holiday last week, Beijing witnessed eight traffic accidents that killed 12, compared with 23 accidents and 23 death a year earlier.

Li said a complete check of the shuttle buses designed to serve NPC deputies and CPPCC members from across the country was carried out Wednesdays.

(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2005)