Police in the Chinese capital will take a series of measures to guarantee public safety during the week-long National Day holiday period starting October 1, police sources have said.

Military Honour guards practise during a training session in Beijing September 29, 2006. Japanese Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma said on Friday that China's military build-up was a concern rather than a threat, retracting earlier comments that had triggered a rebuttal from Beijing.[Reuters]

According to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, police will control traffic in areas around Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijng, a major venue for celebration activities that attracts huge crowds during festival periods.

Police said to guarantee smooth traffic, vehicles will be banned from roads on the east and west of Tian'anmen Square from 7 a.m. to late at night when the square is clear of visitors, during the September 30-October 7 period.

Police have also stepped up safety measures in local shopping centers to prevent incidents.

The police bureau sources said more than 800 policemen have been dispatched to check out more than 50 local shopping centers and supermarkets in the past few days.

According to the local transportation bureau, visitor movements in Beijing will top 100 million during the holiday period. Tian'anmen Square receives more than 30,000 people daily.