YINCHUAN - Authorities in Northwest China's city of Yinchuan, an area with a particularly dense population of Muslims, have beefed up security measures ahead of the upcoming China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, which is scheduled to open on Wednesday.

The government of Yinchuan, the capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, has bolstered security at airports, hotels and public venues to ensure the safety of the thousands of guests who are expected to attend the five-day forum and trade fair.

At the entrance of the five-star Kempinski Hotel, X-ray machines and metal detectors that are normally seen at airports have been set up to ensure the safety of the hotel's guests.

Similar equipment has been installed at 25 hotels and public venues in Yinchuan, as well as other cities where sub-forums will be held. The forum's organizing committee has deployed more than 600 security guards at these locations

"We want to ensure that the forum will be held in absolute safety," said Li Desheng, a police captain from Ningxia's Department of Public Security.

Ambulances have also been dispatched to hotels and public venues to provide emergency medical aid for the city's guests.

The Yinchuan city government has also taken measures to ensure that a sufficient supply of halal-certified food is available for the guests, as many of the forum's attendees are Muslims with strict diets.

Food safety inspectors have been sent to all 25 hotels and public venues to supervise the processing and handling of the food. All of the venues have signed contracts with the city government, promising to supply halal-certified food to any guests that require it.