China links promotions to unrest control

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BEIJING, July 8 (AP): Local Chinese leaders will have a better chance of winning job promotions if they can limit social unrest in rural areas, state media quoted Sunday a ruling Communist Party official as saying.
The party has become increasingly concerned at protests in recent years by ordinary Chinese venting their anger over official corruption, a yawning rich-poor gap and land grabs.
Unrest also can occur when simple accidents or arguments attract large crowds and quickly spin out of control.
"Officials who perform poorly in maintaining social security in rural areas will not be qualified for promotion," Ouyang Song, deputy head of the organisation department of the party's central committee, was quoted as saying by Xinhua News Agency.
Xinhua said the comments were made Thursday at a conference for senior officials in Beijing.
At the same conference, Public Security Vice Minister Liu Jinguo told the police to launch a month-long inspection into social disorder in rural areas, the report said.
"Fugitive criminals and underworld gangs, as well as those who steal rural production materials, produce or sell fake and substandard commodities, kidnap children and women and smuggle drugs, explosives and guns will be targeted," Liu said.