Shanghai was on "terrorism alert" yesterday - and the city came through with flying colors.

Police simulated the terror scare to test the time of response, and officials' capability of handling such an emergency.

The drill, codenamed "No.3 Huangpu River," began in the morning with the simulated alert that a venue in the city was under biochemical attack by terrorists.

Under the command of the Shanghai Emergency Response Center, set up in the Public Security Bureau building, more than 10 governmental departments, including fire control, civil defense, environmental protection and public health, were sent to the scene.

Officials would not reveal how many staff were involved in the operation, nor where the exercise was carried out. The two major aims, they said, were to test the capability of the headquarters and the combat power of the emergency teams.

"The Shanghai government has always attached great importance to a special anti-terrorism force," said Liu Yungeng, deputy Party secretary of Shanghai. "We hope to make a greater contribution to social security and stability by enhancing the anti-terrorism outfits and improving the anti-terrorism response capabilities."

He said the drill was successful.

(Shanghai Daily February 5, 2007)