China will strengthen internet safety by setting up “online police stations” at “key” websites and internet enterprises, according to China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) .

Chen Zhimin, Vice Minister of the MPS, said Tuesday that online police, who are responsible for openly inspecting the operation of websites and enforcing laws governing online activities, should work hard to uncover and prevent various illegal acts online.

At a national working conference on the security of major websites and online services held in Beijing, Chen said that more efforts should be made to provide online police service through “online police stations,” which are designed to learn about suspected online crimes and guide websites to increase their abilities to stay safe.

The Ministry of Public Security will actively respond to the new opportunities and challenges posed by the development of the internet in China, that is, it will do its best to promote the rule of law in online communities, ensuring a healthy, harmonious and orderly online environment, Chen said.

He said that it will still be a tough battle to fight online crimes, such as Cyber-attack, transmission of violent messages, fraud, identity theft and illegal conducts involving pornography, gambling and drugs, which have become a prominent problem affecting national security and social stability.

He also stressed that websites should have self-discipline in refraining from publicizing sensitive events and vulgar information, which may lead to crimes.