The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Beijing

Beijing police will be authorised to make random checks on Tiananmen Square and at transport hubs as part of new security regulations ahead of the August Olympic Games, state press reported on Saturday.

Police will check for "knives, flammable and other hazardous tools or materials" at their discretion to ensure a safe Olympics, the Xinhua news agency report said.

Meanwhile Chinese fans coming to Beijing must seek approval first from their local police, register and could be accompanied by officers when coming to the capital, the Beijing News reported.

Their local police will run checks for "those who have a history of being detained for disturbing sports match order," the report said.

Anyone found to have committed any such previous offences would be banned from coming to the capital, the report said, citing Hu Haiyuan, head of big event coordination for the Beijing police.

Hu further said that a group of 1,000 fans from central Henan province arrived this month for a sports event in Beijing accompanied by eight local policemen.

China has already stepped up airport security ahead of the Games after an alleged Muslim terrorist tried to blow up a plane with soft drink cans containing petrol earlier this month.

Beijing has expressed concerns over unrest during the Games, especially following riots in Lhasa over China's rule of the Himalayan territory erupted on March 14 and spread to Tibetan areas around the nation.

Officials have expressed concerns that such unrest could spill over into wider parts of society that are disgruntled over rising prices, government corruption and a widening wealth gap between the rich and poor.