国内英语新闻:Chinese police conduct hostage rescue drill before Asian Games

GUANGZHOU, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Police conducted a hostage rescue drill on Sunday in south China's Guangzhou City as authorities beefed up security about one month prior to the opening of the 2010 Asian Games.

Police first practiced rescue operation simulating the bus hostage crisis in the Philippine capital about two months ago. Eight Hong Kong tourists were slain during an ill-prepared rescue by the Philippine police against a lone gunman who hijacked a tourist bus in Manila on Aug. 23.

Police officers were not told of the time and location of the drill in advance to test the emergency response of the city's police forces, a senior police officer said.

During the drill, a group of armed men "hijacked" a bus carrying athletes and gunned down security guards on their way out of the Asian Games Village. After "negotiations" failed, police quickly broke into the bus and seized the attackers.

The second part of the drill involved in rescuing "hijacked" foreign athletes in a room in the Village.

After finding the hijackers attempted to kill the hostages, the police stormed the room, overwhelming the attackers and freeing the hostages.

Chinese authorities have activated over one hundred checkpoints on the roads and waterways linking areas to the hosting cities of the Games on Sunday.

A total of 132 checkpoints, scattered in Guangdong Province and five neighboring regions, are responsible for screening people, vehicles and goods, officials with the Ministry of Public Security said.

The 2010 Asian Games is scheduled to open on Nov. 12. The events will be held in four cities in Guangdong.