The Ministry of Public Security plans to initiate a special campaign to control guns and explosives, in the wake of several incidents of armed robbery nationwide.

"We will target serious violent crimes in order to strengthen public security and maintain social order and overall stability,” vice-minister Huang Ming said on Wednesday.

The special action to control firearms and explosives will continue until November, Huang said.

"During the action, we will investigate a number of gun or explosive-related cases, seize illegal guns and explosives, arrest criminal suspects, and wipe out criminal networks which traffic in illegally manufactured guns and explosives,” he said.