国内英语新闻:Senior CPC leader extends Lunar New Year greetings to judiciary, police in Beijing

BEIJING, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Thursday extended festival greetings to members of the judiciary and police officers of Beijing, ahead of the country's Lunar New Year which falls on Jan. 23.

Zhou Yongkang, secretary of the Committee of Political and Legislative Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, met with traffic police, firefighters, armed policemen, prosecutors and judges, prison guards, and families of police officers who died on duty.

He urged the judiciary and police to give top priority in 2012 to maintaining social stability in the capital in the run-up to the CPC's 18th national congress.

Zhou Yongkang (R front), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and also secretary of the CPC Central Political and Legislative Affairs Committee, shakes hands with an armed policeman on duty at a troop station in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 19, 2012. Zhou visited traffic police, firefighters, armed policemen, justices and procurators, jail police, and families of policemen who died on duties in Beijing on Thursday and extended festival greetings to them ahead of the Lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 23 this year.

He also noted the judiciary and police have completed tasks with honor over the past year, making great contributions to the stability of Beijing and the entire country.

Zhou, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, expressed his appreciation to those armed police on duty during Spring Festival.

While visiting a district-level court and procuratorate, Zhou urged staff of the judiciary to attach great importance to providing services, so to improve public confidence in the country's justice system.

During his visit to Beijing's fire command headquarter, Zhou urged officers to be high on alert during Spring Festival, to prevent disastrous accidents and ensure the city's residents have a safe and happy holiday.