Chinese President Xi Jinping tells children of fallen policemen to follow ‘heroic fathers’

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the descendents of police officers who died in the line of duty to become “loyal guards of the party and the people” and help uphold national security.

Xi made the remark in a letter replying to eight students at the People’s Public Security University of China, all of whom lost parents in this way, the state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday.

Praising their parents’ “courage … and willingness to sacrifice and contribute”, Xi said he hoped they would follow the example of their “heroic fathers”.

Amid escalating tensions between Beijing and Washington, the Xi administration has upgraded the status of its security apparatus.

In August 2020. Xi personally presented a force flag to the police – a protocol rarely enjoyed outside China’s military.

In another move to boost police morale the following year, he also introduced an annual Chinese People’s Police Day, which falls on January 10.

Xinhua said more than 17,000 police officers across the country have died in the line of duty since the founding of People’s Republic in 1949, of whom more than 3,700 have been officially designated as martyrs.

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Xi’s letter came a day after Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong ordered the force to double down on its efforts to ensure security and stability during major events such as the ongoing Asian Games in Hangzhou and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation next month.

Xi is expected to welcome a number of world leaders, including Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, to Beijing for the summit, whose exact dates have not yet been announced.

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China said that 90 countries have confirmed their attendance, with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez also expected to attend.

Meanwhile, China’s police force also needs to cope with tens of millions of tourists and migrant workers returning to their hometowns as China celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day in a week-long holiday that starts on Friday.

“[We shall] focus on the security of a series of major events, carefully roll out various work measures for political security and social stability with high standards of fair and civilised law enforcement,” Wang told a nation-wide security teleconference on Thursday, according to Xinhua.

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Wang first came to Xi’s notice as his police chief in Fujian province in the 1990s and has since been given a number of other security roles.

Last year he took over the command of the country’s police force and was further promoted to be a member of the Central Secretariat during October’s party congress. He was also appointed a state councillor, a senior role in China’s cabinet, in March.

South China Morning Post