Patrol officers armed to combat terrorism

With security being beefed up across China, police officers are receiving special training to ensure they can effectively use the weapons they will be issued to combat terrorism, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Since March, the ministry and local police departments have been arranging for weapons instructors and psychologists to offer special training to patrol police before they are armed.

Guns are tightly restricted in the country. Even for police officers, only SWAT officers ordinarily carry weapons, while others, such as officers who patrol neighborhoods, do not.