Police will strengthen precautionary measures for Hong Kong's hosting of the WTO's 6th Ministerial Conference (MC6) in December and will take quick enforcement action against unlawful behavior, a police officer said on July 20.

Peter Yam, Hong Kong's Police Director of Operations, said the move is in response to the latest information received, which suggests some demonstrators may take fierce action.

He said of the last five ministerial conferences, three encountered fierce demonstrations.

However, he said the police have the ability and experience to handle security and ensure a smooth event, which he said was an unprecedented challenge for the force.

A steering committee on MC6 chaired by him started preparatory work more than a year ago. Officers were sent to Scotland to observe security measures for the recent G8 conference.

Yam said the police will respect peaceful freedom of expression, and the designation of petition areas has to balance the interests of all parties, including road users and residents.

Detailed proposals for petition areas will be submitted to the Legislative Council for consideration in October, he said.

Source: Xinhua