Ninety-nine police drill instructors have assembled in Shenzhen for a 15-day advanced course in combat skills.

The trainees come from security organizations all over the country, according to Xie Lin, deputy chief of police training in the Ministry of Public Security.

The trainees are expected to impart the combat skills they will have learned in the advanced course to police officers across the country so that the police are better prepared to deal with violent crime.

As China's economy has developed, the number of violent crimes has also risen.

"Despite the rising number of violent crimes, police casualties have decreased," said Xie, who attended the opening ceremony on Monday.

"That indicates the combat skill training is effective and of critical importance to the country's police force," said the official.

Since 1990, almost 7,000 Chinese police officers have died, and 120,000 have been injured performing their duties, according to statistics given by the Ministry of Public Security.

A total of 414 police officers were killed in 2005, but the number dropped to 398 last year.

Source: Xinhua