On January 1, 2013, it became illegal to drive through both red and yellow lights in the Asian country. Those cited more than once will likely lose their driving privileges. The aggressive rule follows a crackdown by Chinese authorities aimed at reducing the estimated 250,000 road traffic fatalities the country experiences each year – a figure that makes road accidents the leading cause of death among residents between the ages of 15 and 44, says the World Health Organization.

A Caixin news brief reports the specific penalties of the new regulation, and the online uproar that the law caused:

[...]The law, put into effect by the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Management Bureau on January 1, requires drivers to come to a full stop at a yellow light. If they fail to do so, drivers will have six points deducted from their license. (Drivers who lose 12 points from their licenses in a year lose them.) People have taken to their Weibo accounts to complain that more accidents will be caused by people driving slower in anticipation of a green light turning yellow.[...]

CNN translates a few Weibo comments, giving us a glimpse into the online chatter surrounding the new rule:

“I’m among the first victims of the new rule,” wrote netizen @SunYiXuan on Chinese microblogging website Sina Weibo, “I hit the car before me this morning when the driver slammed on the brake when the light turned yellow. Slow down when you’re 1 km away from the traffic lights. Good luck my friends.”

 [...]“If yellow light equals red light, we don’t even need green lights any more. On and off of one light can do the work,” @YuJianShouQing posted.A poll on Weibo shows 13,000 users, or 84%, of netizens who responded considered the new rule as “unacceptable”.

A poll on Weibo shows 13,000 users, or 84%, of netizens who responded considered the new rule as “unacceptable”.

China Daily went to the street to see what a Beijing taxi driver thinks about the rule:

Jiang Mingsheng, a taxi driver in Beijing who has 33 years’ driving experience, said the regulations have put him under pressure when he drives past road crossings, as many traffic lights in Beijing do not have countdown timers.

“I ran a yellow light the other day. I was meters away from the stop line and the lights suddenly turned yellow. I was almost in the middle of the road after I put my brakes on and stopped the vehicle,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone would be able to stop the vehicle in that case,” he said.

A more recent Caixin news brief reports that, after negative public reaction to the law was widely expressed, the Ministry of Public Security has softened penalties on drivers who fail to stop at yellow lights:

The Ministry of Public Security says drivers breaking a new rule on running yellow lights will be warned, but not lose points from their licenses. The ministry made the announcement on January 6, and said the change was in response to objections from the public.

The Economist has more on the ministry’s decision to heed public opinion, and offers a comment on what this says about the relationship between public opinion and official conduct:

The official response to the uproar was prompt and surprisingly conciliatory. On January 6th the public-security ministry shifted into reverse, announcing that in the light of public opinion, it was suspending enforcement of the yellow-light rule while it re-examined the idea. For now, violators will be “educated” rather than punished. The announcement even thanked the “broad masses” for speaking up.

On non-political issues, the urban populace is ever less shy about challenging officialdom. But it is still rare for Chinese officials, especially the police, to yield to public opinion. Whether the episode heralds more significant shifts in the relationship between China’s rulers and ruled, it may be too soon to say.

© josh rudolph for China Digital Times (CDT), 2013. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Ministry of Public Security, online public opinion, public opinion, traffic accidents, traffic rules, yellow light rule
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Propaganda Department: Continuing coverage of Zhou Kehua by all media and websites must be in accordance with Xinhua wire copy and official statements by the Ministry of Public Security. All media and websites must play down the story. Do not publish any further reports or commentary, particularly those concerning Zhou’s childhood and criminal motives.

中宣部：有关周克华的后续报道，各媒体及网站按新华社通稿和公安部权威公布的内容刊播，淡化处理，不再作其他报道和评论，特别是不对周克华的成长历程和犯罪原因进行分析评论。

There is a storm of discussion online and in the media of Zhou Kehua, the serial killer gunned down by Chongqing police this week. Some netizens speculate Zhou killed himself.

© Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Chongqing, Directives from the Ministry of Truth, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Truth, serial killer, Xinhua, Zhou Kehua
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As Secretary of the Central Political and Legislative Committee, Zhou oversees a broad range of public security apparatuses, from police enforcement to labor re-education. This year’s national public security budget surpasses that of defense spending.

Zhou was in charge of the “Clean the Web Campaign” (清网行动) to scour the Internet for criminal suspects between May and December 2011. He alluded to that campaign this April:

SouthernMetropolisDaily: Zhou Yongkang: Public Security Maintains Conformity with the Party center from Beginning to End: During an April 6 discussion of the “Clean the Web Campaign,” Zhou Yongkang expressed that public security is a blameless shield for the country. “The Party and the people thank you.” He stressed that “what the masses most abhor, we will attack; what the masses most loudly make known, we will tame.” In addition, public security must “maintain conformity with the Party center from beginning to end.” People’s Daily

南方都市报：【周永康：公安始终同党中央保持一致】周永康6日在“清网行动”座谈时表示，公安无愧为共和国之盾，“党和人民感谢你们”。他强调，公安要做到 “群众对什么最痛恨，我们就打击什么，群众对什么反映最强烈，我们就整治什么”，而且要“始终同党中央保持高度一致”。人民日报

When this screenshot was taken in April, the post on Southern Metropolis Daily’s Weibo account had been forwarded 2,179 times and commented on 1,254 times. As of June 13, there are 2,917 forwards, but only 11 comments. From the selection of comments below, it’s easy to see why so many disappeared. Still, a few telling remarks been left, such as this one from May 31:

TravelingDoctor: Supposing the masses most abhor the central government, what will Public Security do? “What the masses most abhor, we will attack” or “maintain conformity with the Party center from beginning to end?” Please respond!

云游郎中微博达人：假如群众对中央最痛恨时，公安是要做到“群众对什么最痛恨，我们就打击什么”，还是要“始终同中央保持高度一致”呢？请回答！

You can read more comments from CDT Chinese. Translated by Deng Bolun.

JadeMama: Recently, it seems like in every piece of news you see this sentence: Maintain conformity with the Party.

璇子的妈：最近好像在各种新闻上都能看到这句：跟党保持一致

HuaiRiverEastBarbarian: Do the Party and the people include me? I don’t have a f*cking vote, and I can’t open my own mouth. Like f*ck I’ve been represented by you.

淮水东夷：党和人民包括我吗？尼玛老子既没有选票，也发不出自己的声音，就特麽被你们代表了

xuyichao: You carry guns everyday. Do the masses dare say what they abhor?

xuyichao: 你们天天带着枪，群众敢说痛恨什么吗

_QiJY: What if we abhorred the Party?

_赵JY：如果痛恨党中央咋办？

LoveVienna: Just like a bunch of gangsters.

最爱维也娜：真像黑帮大会

MiTuLiuJingWen: Why keep stressing conformity these days? Haven’t things always conformed?

米秃刘敬文：最近为啥老强调一致啊？不是从来就一致吗?

Charlescc0574: Before there was one rumor after another. These days you are suddenly so animated. Is it that the more you try to hide, the more you expose?

Charlescc0574：之前传言纷纷，这些天马上就见你特别活跃，这不是欲盖弥彰吗？

HappyYilan: Is it the Party or the masses [that matter] after all? Don’t you think you’re contradicting yourself? Shouting a slogan, can’t you put a little effort into thinking about this?

快乐的依澜：倒底是党中央还是群众？不觉得自己自相茅盾吗？喊个口号你们都不能花心思想点

Lxion-Lixi: Attention all departments, attention all departments. Everyone please line up in order. Stand properly. There will be meat.

Lxion-李昕：各部门注意，各部门注意，请大家按秩序站队，站好队，将来有肉吃~~

SouthSeaGuest: Last month Chongqing’s municipal government said the same thing. Wasn’t it said in vain? Chinese society now—whether Chongqing’s government, the Ministry of Public Security or even the whole national system from top to bottom—must without a doubt maintain conformity with the central government. Need this be said? Once you’ve said it,  won’t other people think you have ulterior motives?!

南海客人：上个月重庆市委市政府也是这样说，但都不是“白说”么？现在中国社会，不管是重庆市委市政府，还是全国公安，甚至全国上上下下的政府机关，肯定要与中央保持一致的，这还用说吗？没说则罢，说了别人还以为你心中有鬼呢？！

SeanAzureSky: The masses most abhor corrupt officials and public servants who misbehave. And we most abhor the police officers—they’re shadier than the mob. Take a look and do what you see fit.

SeanAzureSky：群众最痛恨贪官和公务员不作为，最痛恨比黑社会还黑的警务人员。你们看着办吧。

DunWeiqing: This is great material for textual analysis. Since that which represents the Party also represents the people, the thank “you” (Public Security) is immediately followed by maintaining conformity between the Party and that which represents “us” (Public Security). This is a power play: I am not only myself, I am also you. The identity transforms so quickly, it’s breathtaking.

郭巍青：这是做文本分析的很好素材。既代表党，又代表人民，感谢“你们”（公安），紧接着就代表“我们”（公安）与党保持一致。这是一种权力技术：我不但是我，我还是你。身份变化之贼快，叹为观止。

TangBiqing: Later, the name will be changed to “Party Security.”

唐必青：以后改名叫“党安”

CantFindHunger: Not allowing Weibo comments is what the masses abhor most.

找不到饿的感觉：群众最痛恨不让微博评论

© Anne.Henochowicz for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Bo Xilai, Deng Bolun, Ministry of Public Security, netizens' voices, Politburo Standing Committee, Public Security Bureau, sina weibo, Southern Metropolis Daily, tencent, weibo, Zhou Yongkang
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“We can receive 300 orders every day on average, nearly double the figure for the same period last year,” said Liu Jing, a manager of Changyinwuyou, a company that provides designated driver service in Beijing.

As many as 500 people may call on a busy day, but the company can only handle fewer than 300 orders daily, Liu said. Designated driver services charge by distance, she added.

“Strict monitoring and regulations carried out in recent years contributed to the increase in people’s awareness of the danger posed by drunken driving or driving under the influence of alcohol,” said Liu.

“Unlike several years ago when we started our business, now many customers would seek designated drivers even if they have just had a little amount of wine,” Liu said. “Those who are really drunk only account for less than 5 percent of our total customers.”

The article adds that the number of drunk driving cases has dropped by more than 40% in the twelve months since China amended its Criminal Law, according to the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Management Bureau.

© Scott Greene for China Digital Times (CDT), 2012. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: criminal law, designated driving, drunk driving, Ministry of Public Security
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In March, police in the cities of Lanzhou and Xi’an in west China found some people were getting and selling drugs through chatting in online chatting room, which were usually inaccessible to outsiders.

New comers could only be allowed to enter the online chatting room after being introduced by “acquaintances” and performing drug-addiction through the online video, Liu said.

The MPS soon launched a nationwide battle to fight against online drug-related activities on Aug. 31, and started tightening the net to seize the suspects on Sept. 2.

Among the 12,125 arrested suspects, 66.2 percent are young people under 35 years old, and 2.6 percent are under 18, with the youngest being 14 years old, according to Liu.

China’s war against drugs also recently cut off a well-connected trafficking ring based in Guangxi and yielded the largest-ever drug bust in Hong Kong’s history.

© Scott Greene for China Digital Times (CDT), 2011. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: chat rooms, drug addiction, drug trafficking, Internet, Ministry of Public Security
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Three key Ministry of Public Security (MPS) department heads have taken office after several rounds of “competitive elections,” reflecting increased openness, fairness and democratic decision-making in the selection of officials.

The three new MPS bureau heads are: Wu Heping, director of the Publicity Department; Liu Yuejin, director of the Drug Control Bureau; and Bi Xiaoming, head of the Bureau for Retirees.

The three were selected out of the 311 candidates who were interviewed for the positions.

Yang Fengrui, former Drug Control Bureau director and Liu’s predecessor, said 35 people recommended themselves for the three posts and that other candidates were recommended by colleagues and superiors.

“The selection process was greatly opened to voters’ views, enabling them to elect the most capable people. Previously, only leaders could nominate candidates, and the selection process was opaque,” Yang said.

© Paulina Hartono for China Digital Times (CDT), 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: elections, Ministry of Public Security, political reform
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The following internal document, a paper written by a local Domestic Security Officer from Shaoxing city, Zhejiang Province, was leaked into Chinese cyberspace recently, and reveals many details about how this secretive police force works day-to day at the local level to control Chinese society. The original passage is excerpted from a book entitled Collected Essays on Domestic Security that is circulated internally within the Domestic Security Department (DSD). CDT translated the selected text here; thanks to the translator who wishes to remain anonymous. [This is Part III of III. Part I and II are here and here.]

III. Using the “Three Improves” as a vehicle to expand the work with the masses

The present stage: Inadequate legal support (omitted)

A. By improving the ability of the leaders, refine the art of command and coordination

In the process of implementing ground level foundational work, we have evaluated our work by the standard of “Have we used a comprehensive approach in working with the masses?” A capable fellow at the county level DSD introduced the work standard of “Six Major Meetings.” (omitted)

三， 以“三个提高”为载体，拓宽群众工作思路
现阶段，受法律支撑不足，（略）

（一） 以提高领导能力为龙头，优化指挥协调艺术
在落实基层基础工作的过程中，我们以“是否会做全方位的群众工作”为评判标准，对县级国保大队“一把手”提出了“六个会”的要求：（略）

B. Improving gathering capabilities as a starting point to extend the intelligence information [gathering] apparatus

[We have] placed an emphasis on the type of intelligence information and the method of collecting intelligence information. This, along with a great amount of practical experience has allowed us to begin to form an intelligence gathering network that is close to the masses, forward-looking, able to detect and warn, and is able to meet the actual needs of the current conflict as well as the practical needs of our locality. As for the type of intelligence gathered, we have compiled the approaches of Shaoxing County, Shengzhou City, Yucheng district, etc. [We call this compiled approach] “Especially care for the masses, especially pay attention to the government, and especially be wary of our enemies.” [This approach involves] implementing proactive intelligence gathering directed towards areas, departments, regions, groups of people, and organizations that are of special interest. In the last three years, through the proactive intelligence gathering of two levels of the DSD within our city, we have received more than 270 pieces of intelligence on events that affect social and political stability and on large-scale mass incidents. Through early detection and punishment as well as through the functioning of mechanisms to work with the masses, 107 mass incidents were dissolved or stopped. As for the concrete types and methods of collecting intelligence information, we have built upon the foundation of the traditional methods in which police stations or secret forces would report information up, and embraced the “Four Diligents”—diligently visiting and interviewing, diligently examining, diligently looking into things, and diligently feeling things out. [We have] put the masses in their rightful role as the most important, the most direct and the most pure source of intelligence information. We have created “The Ten Methods” of getting intelligence directly from the people. The methods include; “gathering intelligence by visits and interviews, gathering intelligence by reading documents, gathering intelligence by drawing close [to people], gathering intelligence by exchange, gathering intelligence by fishing, gathering intelligence by hosting, gathering intelligence by using the media, gathering intelligence by using the internet, gathering intelligence by assignment, reverse intelligence gathering, etc.” These “Ten Methods” have greatly extended the DSD’s intelligence gathering apparatus and improved detection and warning. They have expanded the breadth and depth of intelligence information and provided effective channels.

（二） 以提高收集能力为切入点，延伸情报信息触角

以情报信息收集的方向，方式为重点，通过大量的实践，初步形成了具有比较明显的群众性，前瞻性，预警性特征，并符合现实斗争形势和本地实际需要的情报信息 网络格局。在收集的方向确定上，我们总结绍兴县，嵊州市，越城区等地的做法，把“群众高度关心的，政府高度关注的，敌人高度觊觎的”作为重点，在重点领 域，重点部位，重点区域，重点人群，重点组织实施主动型的情报信息收集工作。近三年中，我市两级国保部门通过主动性的收集，掌握到影响社会政治稳定和大规 模群体性事件的情报信息270多条，通过预警处置和群众工作机制的运行，消化和制止了群体性事件107起。在情报信息收集的具体方式方法上，在传统的基层 派出所报送和秘密力量反映的基础上，以“勤走访，勤询问，勤查看，勤排摸”的“四勤”工作方法，把群众作为情报信息最主要，最直接，最原始的渠道来源，创 建直接面向群众的“走访收集法，问卷收集法，贴靠收集法，交换收集法，钓鱼收集法，接待收集法，媒体收集法，网络收集法，布置收集法，逆向收集法”等“十 法”体系，大大延伸了国保部门预警性情报信息收集的触角，为拓展情报信息的广度，深度提供了有效途径。

C. Building upon the foundation of improving police officer’s individual abilities, realize the effectiveness of working with the people.

The DSD departments, as the principal departments in charge of preserving social and political stability, need to, in their day-to-day work, establish intimate contacts with the masses, and engage in face to face work with the masses. The DSD police not only need to understand policy, law, and technical skills, they also need to possess a certain amount of public relations skills, as well as an ability to work with the masses. In the last several years, we have used a number of methods to actively encourage the ground level DSD police to boldly find solutions and innovate, use methods that are suited to local conditions, and explore and implement methods of working with the masses that are effective in practice. These concrete work methods are carried forth both by ground level DSD leaders who direct and coordinate the work, as well as by police officers in one-on-one settings. The scope of the work encompasses DSD surveillance, control, punishment, intelligence gathering, etc. For example, the heroic example of level two [official] Zhang Qingchao in building and using secret forces in which “Six Rules on Establishing Intelligence” and “Six Rules on Using Intelligence” were used; Shaoxing County DSD’s method of working with the masses directed at controlling key groups of people entitled “three dispersals, three inspections”; Zhuji city’s method of control which relies on the masses and is directed at people of interest entitled, “protect the line, surround the pieces, surround the village”; Shengzhou City’s work with the masses in controlling key strategic positions entitled, “Three Reliances, Six Interrogates,” etc., etc. Through training, mutual exchanges of information, live demonstrations, and other methods, we have continually condensed, improved, and vigorously pushed forward those methods which originate from the ground level, and come from the front line of working with the masses.

（三） 以提高民警个体能力为基础，发挥群众工作效能

国保部门作为维护社会政治稳定的主要部门，在具体的工作中需要大量地接触群众并开展面对面的群众工作。国保民警不但要懂政策，懂法律，懂技术，也需要具备 一定的公关能力和群众工作技巧。近年来，我们通过多种形式，积极鼓励基层国保民警大胆摸索创新，因地制宜，探索实施了一些行之有效的群众工作方法。这些具 体工作方法既有基层国保大队领导指挥协调方面的，也有民警在一对一状态下的，范围涵盖了国保部门在侦查，控制，处置，收集等各个工作环节。如二级英模张庆超在物建，使用秘密力量上的“建情六条”和“用情六法”，绍兴县国保大队在重点人群控制中的“三疏三查”群众工作法，诸暨市依靠群众对重点人员实施的“保 线，包片，包村”控制法，嵊州市在重点阵地控制中的“三靠六问”群众工作法，等等。对于这些源于基层，来自一线的群众工作方法，我们通过拜师带徒，相互交 流，现场示范等多种方式不断予以总结提高和大力推广。

Image source: fjgat.gov.cn, DSD police officers in Hanjiang regional Public Security Bureau, Putian city, Fujian Province.

© Xiao Qiang for China Digital Times (CDT), 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: DSD, Ministry of Public Security, public security
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The following internal document, a paper written by a local Domestic Security Officer from Shaoxing city, Zhejiang Province, was leaked into Chinese cyberspace recently, and reveals many details about how this secretive police force works day-to day at the local level to control Chinese society. The original passage is excerpted from a book entitled Collected Essays on Domestic Security that is circulated internally within the Domestic Security Department (DSD). CDT translated the selected text here; thanks to the translator who wishes to remain anonymous. [This is Part II of III. Part I is here.]

B. Rely on ground-level organizations, implement defense and control mechanisms

[We have worked to] implement on the ground level of the Party government organization the DSD’s work of putting in place measures to defend against and control those within the DSD’s scope. The DSD departments [have worked to achieve] through specialized guidance the actual ability of base-level organizations to effectively defend against and control people and events of special interest. In this regard the work of Zhuji city, origin of “the experience at Fengqiao”, is especially rich. Perhaps what is most striking is their system of “Four Firsts, Four Earlys”: (1) Persist in putting inspection first; discover the seeds of discord early. This involves ground-level organizations and the DSD departments using foundational detection, directional detection, follow-up detection, and specialized detection to take charge of the work of providing early warning. (2) Persist in putting detection and warning first; defend and control early. This involves implementing comprehensive defense and control measures towards people of interest and people who pose a special danger by: sharing information amongst base-level organizations, analyzing situations, and implementing methods of diversion and control. (3) Persist in putting education first; resolve conflicts early. [Zhuji City has] implemented a system called “4+1” that helps and educates certain key people within special communities. This system involves the standing committee + the department heads + village communities + the responsible police officers, and is a method of creating change through helping and teaching. The control, helping, and teaching mechanisms are directed towards populations of interest and implemented by: the united effort of the DSD, the local police, the police station branch leaders and the neighborhood communities, police, village and town (street administrative district, work unit) village (community) cadres, and secret forces. This effort uses the “Three Sinceres and the Three Helps” method which is to sincerely teach, sincerely touch and persuade, and to sincerely uplift, so as to gradually reduce elements of social instability and prevent conflicts from rising up to higher levels [of government]. (4) persist in putting punishment first; strike and take care of things early. [We should] use appropriate methods and at appropriate times strike and punish both acts clearly outside the bounds of the law as well as seeds of discord so as to deter and also to educate.

（二） 依靠基层组织，落实防控机制

将国保工作指向对象的防范和控制措施落实到基层党政组织，实现在国保部门的专门指导下，基层组织具体落实对重点人，重点事的有效防控。“枫桥经验”的发源 地诸暨市，在这方面的工作内容相当丰富，比较突出的是“四先四早”工作机制：一是坚持排查在先，早发现苗头。通过基层组织和国保部门的基础排查，定向排 查，跟踪排查，专门排查等形式，切实抓好预警工作；二是坚持预警在先，早防范控制。通过与基层组织共同参与的信息交流，情况分析，采取分流管控的形式对重 点人员，高危人员落实综合防范措施；三是坚持教育在先，早化解矛盾。对特殊群体骨干采取了“4+1”帮教体系，即“常委+部门负责人+村居+责任民警”的 帮教转化机制，对各类重点人口落实了由国保民警，派出所分管领导及社区民警，乡镇（街道，单位），村（社区）干部和秘密力量组成的“四位一体”的管控和帮 教措施，以真心帮教，真情感化，真诚帮扶的“三真三帮”工作方法，逐步减少社会不稳定因素，尽力避免矛盾向更高层次转化；四是坚持处置在先，早打击处理。 对于法律界限明确的违法行为和苗头动向，采取适当的形式，适时运用打击处置手段，以起到警示和教育作用。

C. Rely on powers within society; establish coordination mechanisms

In the process of developing key strategic positions and key regions to defend against and control, we face the reality that our specialized abilities are not sufficient. Therefore, we have actively relied on powers within society by building a foundation of mutual help, mutual assistance, and mutual trust to establish a multi-tiered coordination mechanism. Classic examples of this are the cultural propaganda department’s program called “[Provide for] security by defending against [subversive] writings” and the “Three Corps, Three Personnel” program implemented at colleges and universities. The realm of cultural propaganda is characterized by great intellectual activity, a diversity of viewpoints, and by the reality that cultural propaganda is a major battlefield upon which the forces of opposition, domestic and foreign, seek to steal away the public’s right to expression. Along with the news, propaganda, broadcast and television, and culture departments, we jointly established a corps of monitors to inspect and control the book market, fiber optic cables, website forums, and ink and paper storehouses, so as to eliminate any possible hidden security threats, political or material. As for colleges and universities, [the problems encountered were that] campuses are scattered in different areas, security skills are low, defense capabilities are weak, etc. In response to theses conditions we joined with the alarm and protection force to form a corps of roving monitors, established a corps of student campus-wide roving monitors, and established an inter-school assistance corps. These “three corps” effectively supplemented the DSD’s power, ensured the [ideological] purity of the campuses, and at the same time—by establishing a system of school contact people, advisors, and intelligence personnel—promoted mutual understanding and communication between the schools and the DSD. This created prime conditions in which developments at the college level could be ascertained, and intelligence information could be gathered.

（三） 依靠社会力量，建立协同机制

我们在开展重点阵地，重点领域防范控制过程中，针对专门力量不足的现实，积极依靠社会力量，在“互帮，互助，互信”的基础上，建立了多层次的协同机制，比 较典型的有文化宣传领域的“安防协作机制”和高校领域的“三队三员”机制。针对文化宣传领域思想活跃，观点多样，又是境内外敌对势力争夺舆论发言权的主战 场的实际，我们和新闻，宣传，广电，文化等部门联合建立了“安全防范协作机制”，通过建立联合巡查队的形式，把图书市场，有线光缆，网站论坛，油墨纸张库 房等作为重点防控部位，全方位地实施检查和监控，消除这些重点部位可能发生的政治上和物质上的安全隐患。针对高校校区分散，技防设施薄弱，保卫力量不强等 情况，我们通过警保（卫）联合巡逻队，学生校园巡逻队，校际救助队的“三队”形式，有效整合安保力量，保障了校园环境的洁净，同时通过院校联络员，辅导 员，信息员体系的建立，促进学校与国保部门之间的理解与沟通，也为及时掌握高校动态，搜集高校情报信息创造了有利的条件。

D. Rely on the people; refine self-governing mechanisms

[We strive to] persist in wide-scale mobilization of the masses, propagandizing to the masses, organizing the masses, guiding and using the enthusiasm for self-governance held by the masses, as a way of organizing and carrying on the work of preserving stability. Currently, more than 1200 administrative villages and more than 70 neighborhood residents’ committees in our city have established “creating security, preserving stability” small leadership groups. These small groups along with police mediation personnel, DSD intelligence personnel and the core “uplifting” personnel (referred to as “the three personnel”) extend the Public Security Bureau’s work of preserving social stability and the Public Security Bureau’s intelligence gathering apparatus out to the masses. The Fengqiao police station in Zhuji with the support of the township Party committee and according to need has established a self-governing people’s corps organized by forty DSD work coordinators. This corps was organized by the principle of “organize by proximity, one person from every village.” The corps not only effectively resolved the police station’s weaknesses of lacking sufficient foundational DSD police capability, incomplete ground-level supervision, holes in the control and supervision of people and events of interest, etc; it also further increased the breadth of the DSD’s intelligence gathering base and promoted the organic fusion of the work of specialized personnel with the work of the masses. Currently, we are planning on gradually taking this model out to the countryside where the DSD’s workload is relatively heavy.

（四） 依靠人民群众，细化自治机制

坚持广泛发动群众，宣传群众，组织群众，引导和利用群众自治，自管的积极性，
组织开展群众性稳定工作。目前，我市1200多个行政村和70多个居民委员会建立了“创安维稳”领导小组和由“治安调解员，国保信息员，骨干帮扶员”为主 体的“三员”队伍，把公安机关维护社会稳定和搜集情报信息的触角直接延伸到了群众当中去。诸暨枫桥派出所还在镇党委的支持下，根据形势需要建立了由40名 国保工作协管员组成的群众自治队伍，按照“就近安排，每村一名”的设置原则进行覆盖，不但切实解决了当前派出所国保基础工作警力不足，基础管理不够到位， 重点对象管控存在疏漏等的实际问题，也进一步拓宽了国保基础信息的广度，更深层次的促进了专门工作和群众工作的有机融合。目前，我们正计划将这种工作模式 在国保工作任务比较重的乡镇逐步推开。

E. Rely on specialized forces; strengthen specialized mechanisms

A unified effort requires that the mechanism for building, deploying, commanding and utilizing secret forces is continually strengthened. As for building [secret forces], [we should] break free from the original framework of primarily relying upon grey regions; [we should] combine the use of economic incentives with personal feeling to establish a new kind of secret force that is highly educated, capable, and objectively demonstrates that they are willing to serve the DSD. At the same time, in order to generally raise the police force’s ability to engage in hidden conflicts, and their ability to engage in specialized work, we have introduced a work requirement that “no matter what position you hold, everyone must build the secret forces.” In terms of development, we have continually extended our intelligence gathering apparatus into the Internet and other new media to build upon our foundation of focusing on people, events and areas of interest. Starting in 2003, we tried building a secret Internet force. In terms of command and utilization, [we have] transformed the original passive model into a proactive model; we have gradually changed the practice of passively reacting to proactively striking. This fulfills the requirement of key departments to “detect and ambush” and has proactively cultivated a new kind of multi-faceted secret force that can be utilized across lines.

（五） 依靠专门力量，强化专业机制

结合形势需要，不断强化秘密力量的物建，分布，指挥和使用机制。在物建上，打破原来以灰色为主的源体框架，运用经济手段和感情培养相结合的方式，建立了一 批文化层次高，活动能力强并在主观上愿意为国保工作服务的新型的秘密力量。同时为在整体上提高民警开展隐蔽斗争和专门工作的能力，我们还提出了“不论具体 岗位，人人都要物建秘密力量”的工作要求。在分布上，以原先围绕重点人，重点事，重点部位为基础，将触角不断延伸到网络等新增领域。从2003年开始，我 们就尝试物建网络秘密力量。在指挥使用上，将原来的被动型转为主动型，即将被动应对逐步转化为主动出击，提出了关键部位“预伏”的要求，并积极培养可以跨 线使用的多功能型秘密力量。

［To be continued.］

Image source: aboluowang, Shanghai plainclothes DSD police officers are on duty. (Photo taken by a petitioner in front of Shanghai government petitioning office.)

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The following excerpts are from China’s interactive knowledge site Baidubaike , translated by CDT:

国内安全保卫的目的。国内安全保卫的目的是巩固共产党执政地位，保卫人民民主专政的政权和社会主义制度，保障社会主义现代化建设的顺利进行。

The goal of domestic security protection is to strengthen the ruling position of the Chinese Communist Party, protect the regime of the People’s Democratic Dictatorship and socialist system, ensure the smooth carrying out of the socialist modernization construction.

And the following three types of people are the main targets of DSD police:

1, People who have social influence – they do not need to be social celebrities, but within China, they have broad social networks or become spokespeople of a group with common experience.

有一定的社会影响力——他们不一定是社会名人，但是他们在中国国内，有广泛的人际关系或为一群共同命运伙伴的代言人

2, People who have their own distinct views in the economic, cultural and political domain, they possess different views from the authorities or “main melody” and insist on expressing their views.

有自己独特的主张——在经济、文化或政治领域，与当局或“主旋律”持有不同的观点并且坚持表达自己的意见

3, Possibly related to rights protection – protecting economic rights, such as apartment owners of urban residential blocks or peasants who lost their land; protecting political rights, such as journalists, writers who insist on freedom of the press or freedom of expression, or house church members who maintain their beliefs, or Tibetan Buddhists who support the Dalai Lama.

可能涉及维权——或者维护经济权益，如小区业主和失地农民等；或者维护文化权益，如画家和艺术家；或者维护政治权利，如坚持新闻和表达自由的记者、作家，坚持信仰的家庭教会成员和支持达赖喇嘛的藏传佛教信徒等

And the following excerpt is from Chinese wikipedia, which is partially blocked by the Great Firewall:

Within the Domestic Security Department, the general components are office; information, intelligence and external liasion branch; social investigation and local work-directing branch; ethnic and religious investigation branch; anti-subversive and sabotage investigation branch; university, cultural and economic domain domestic security protection work-directing branch; domestic security protection case investigation branch; and anti-cult investigation branch.

国保支队内设机构一般为办公室、情报信息与对外联络科、社会调查与基层基础工作指导科、民族宗教领域侦察科、反颠覆破坏侦察科、高校文化及经济领域国内安全保卫工作指导科、国内安全保卫案件侦察科(机动侦察大队)，反邪教侦察科。

The following internal document, a paper written by a local Domestic Security Officer from Shaoxing city, Zhejiang Province, was leaked into Chinese cyberspace recently, and reveals many details about how this secretive police force works day-to day at the local level to control Chinese society. The original passage is excerpted from a book entitled Collected Essays on Domestic Security that is circulated internally within the Domestic Security Department (DSD). CDT translated the selected text here; thanks to the translator who wishes to remain anonymous.

Internal Document of the Domestic Security Department of the Public Security: Follow the Path of Staying Close to the Masses; Strengthen the Foundation of the Domestic Security Department
走群众路线 实国保根基

Yang Guangwei (Political Commisioner of Domestic Security Department [DSD] of the Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Public Security Bureau)
杨光伟（浙江省绍兴市公安局国保支队政委）

These last several years, the DSD system in our city has made it its number one priority to protect social and political stability. [The DSD system has] used “the experience at Fengqiao,”* which gave rise to the DSD’s work, as a powerful weapon to further the work of the DSD, persisted in its unmoving commitment of following the path of working with the masses, continued to strengthen the foundation of the DSD, powerfully promoted the healthy development of the DSD’s work, and effectively ensured the social and political stability of the city.

近年来，我市国保系统以维护社会政治稳定为第一责任，把源于政保工作的“枫桥经验”作为开展国保工作的有力武器，坚持走群众工作路线不动摇，进一步夯实国保基层基础，有力推动了国保工作的健康发展，有效确保了全市社会政治稳定。

I. Using the “Four Uniteds” to clarify the direction of working with the masses.

[We have striven to] use “the experience at Fengqiao” to organically integrate the four aims of grasping the actual situation, understanding development, understanding discipline, and accomplishing work goals. [We have striven to] locate the DSD work’s focus, difficulties, and points of integration so as to clarify the direction of the DSD’s foundational work of following the path of staying close to the masses.

A. Become united in spirit; clarify the direction of the work (omitted)
B. Become united in actual reality; clarify the focus of the work (omitted)
C. Become united in discipline; clarify the direction of development (omitted)
D. Become united in work goals; clarify work protocols (omitted)

一， 以“四个结合”为内容，明确群众工作方向

把运用“枫桥经验”，把握现实形势，洞悉发展规律和实现工作目标四者有机结合起来，找准国保工作的重点，难点和结合点，从而明确国保基层基础工作“走群众路线”的大方向。
（一） 结合精神实质，明确工作方向 (略)
（二） 结合现实形势，明确工作重点 (略)
（三） 结合发展规律，明确发展走向 (略)
（四） 结合工作目标，明确工作步骤 (略)

II. Use the “Five Reliances” to create a mechanism for working with the masses

It has consistently been the DSD’s utmost priority to establish mechanisms to work with the masses, and to continually perfect these mechanisms through examination and through guidance. After several years of exploration and experience our city has basically developed a comprehensive and thorough scheme implemented in cities, counties and townships to correlate the work of the DSD with the masses.

二， 以“五个依靠”为主线，打造群众工作机制

始终把建立群众工作机制作为国保工作的重中之重，并通过考核和指导不断完善。经过几年的探索和实践，我市基本形成了市，县，镇三级横向到边，纵向到底的国保群众工作机制体系。

A. Rely on the Party Committee and Government; perfect the leadership mechanisms

We proactively acted as intermediaries with the Party Committee and Government and actively sought their recognition and support. We established and perfected a mechanism called “Three Groups, Three Meetings, Three Reports.”

（一） 依靠党委政府，完善领导机制

我们主动当好党委政府参谋，积极争取重视支持，建立完善了以“三组三会三报”为内容的国保工作上层机制：

(1) The “three groups” ensure organization between the work of the DSD and the work of ensuring social stability. The first group is the Party Committee and Government head leadership council. The Public Security Bureau branch leaders participate in the work of preserving social stability within the region. The next set of groups is the various specialized small leadership groups attended by those responsible within the DSD and organized by the top Party and government branch leadership. The final group conducts meetings involving the main leaders of the Party committee and government. Those responsible within the DSD participate in small groups that focus on preventing large mass incidents and punishing and trying those involved.

一是以“三组”为形式，确定国保工作和社会稳定工 作的组织体制。首先是建立党委政府主要领导挂帅，公安分管领导参加的维稳工作领导小组组织，协调区域内的国保维稳工作；其次是建立由党委政府分管领导牵 头，国保部门负责人参加的各种专门工作领导小组；再次是党委政府主要领导牵头，国保部门负责人参加的重大群体性事件防范和处置领导小组，开展对重大群体性 事件的预防，研判和处置指挥工作。

(2) The “three meetings” refer to regularly scheduled domestic security report meetings, serious incident analysis meetings, and specialized work correlation meetings. These meetings ensure the timely communication of intelligence information and the correlation of command mechanisms. They also aid in ensuring the Party committee government leadership’s complete control over the direction and content of the DSD’s work. This in turn helps the Party committee government leadership understand and support the DSD’s actual work.

二是以国内安全形势定期报告会，重大情况分析会，专门工作协调会为形式，确保情报信息的及时沟通和指挥协调，也利于党委 政府领导全面掌握国保部门的工作动向和工作内容，从而理解和支持国保部门的具体工作。

(3) The three reports refer to a system of reporting in which the head of the Public Security Bureau regularly reports to the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress on the periodic work of the DSD and the Government Stability Preservation Leading Group Office, a system of reporting in which DSD intelligence information is carried through executive channels, and a specialized system of reporting in which in specified circumstances, the DSD will use special channels to report directly to major leaders within the Party committee and government. In addition, in 2004, the municipal Party Secretary instructed DSD departments that certain specific intelligence information should be carried directly to him/her through specified confidential channels.

三是实行“三报”制度，即公安局长定期向常委会报告阶段性国保工作和 维稳工作制度，通过行政渠道的国保情报信息例报制度和特定情况下由国保部门通过特殊途径直接送达党委政府主要领导的专报制度。2004年，市委书记还指示 国保部门，对一些专门内容的情报信息可以通过特定的机要渠道直接送达其本人。

[To be continued]

* “The experience at Fengqiao” is a term coined in 1963 when Mao Zedong visited Zhuji City in Zhejiang province. Mao praised the local leaders for their ability to rely on the masses, diffuse contradictions, safeguard stability and ensure that “minor problems can be settled without going out of the village, major problems can be resolved without going out of the town and conflicts are not passed on to the leadership.”

(Image source: hedong.cn: DSD officers of Hedong region, Linyi City, Shandong Province.)

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Police in China have created a Web site with photos of 60 rescued kidnap victims, mostly boys and many of them infants, in a bid to track down their families.

The Ministry of Public Security’s “Babies Looking for Home” Web site is part of a nationwide crackdown on widespread trafficking of women and children. State media have reported hundreds of rescues and arrests since the campaign began in April, but the new site shows that at least 60 children have yet to be reunited with their families.

The site includes short physical descriptions of each child, the date they were rescued and a contact number for the police station or welfare official in charge of their case. The youngest appear to be just a few months old and 39 of them are boys.

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Zheng Shaodong, director general of the Public Security Ministry’s economic crimes investigation bureau, and a deputy director of the bureau, Xiang Huaizhu, were detained for allegedly taking bribes during an investigation into allegations against Wong, the official Xinhua News Agency and other reports said.

Wong, one of China’s richest businessmen, is facing a probe into alleged stock price manipulation and other crimes, according to Beijing police. Days ago, he resigned as chairman of Gome Electrical Appliances Holdings, which he founded and built into the country’s largest retailing chain.

Read also Xinhua’s report.

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The Ministry of Public Security is creating a new division that will focus on gang-related crimes such as organized prostitution, gambling, drug production and trafficking, the official China Daily quoted a senior ministry official as saying.

[...] Security officials will also keep a close eye on possible crimes stemming from unemployment amid the ongoing financial downturn, the report said.

Liang Huaren, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, was quoted as saying that the large numbers of laid-off migrant workers as well as the widening gap between rich and poor has helped fuel an increase in gang-related crimes.

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At the recent China International Exhibition on Police Equipment here, sponsored by the Ministry of Public Security, DuPont had a large exhibit promoting Kevlar bulletproof fabric for riot police use. Motorola was selling police radio systems as well as wireless systems for transmitting vast quantities of video surveillance data.

And with the slogan “dress to kill” on their black T-shirts, top executives from Magnum of Britain showed off their latest police boots. “Chinese police deserve the best — Magnum protects the protectors,” said Paul Brooks, the company’s president, in a speech to police officials.

The most intriguing device offered at the show to senior Chinese security agency officials was the Image Masster RoadMasster, a powerful computer system that swiftly copies computer hard drives without leaving any trace and comes concealed in its own color-coordinated briefcase.

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From the Times Online:

With more than a billion people sharing little more than 100 surnames, Chinese authorities have a problem differentiating, for instance, between the 1.3 million people called Liu Bo.

Such is the level of confusion that the Ministry of Public Security wants to change the law to allow parents to create double-barrelled surnames for their children. Currently the law states that children are allowed to take the surname of only their mother or father. [Full Text]

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