China's gun and explosives control has made tremendous progress due to governmental strengthening of law enforcement, but illegal guns and explosives are still rampant in parts of the country, especially in the western Qinghai and Guizhou Provinces, which are less economically developed, Ministry of Public Security Security Management Bureau of Ministry director Xu Hu told reporters on June 13 according to a report by china.org.cn.

China to crack down on illegal explosive, gun industries. [AFP]

His remarks came after the security governing body held a press conference in Beijing to report the development of guns, explosives and knives control across the country.

"Since 2001, there have been less reported cases of explosives theft, accidental explosions and gun-related crime, which fall 15.2 per cent, 11 per cent, 10.4 percent and 13.2 per cent respectively," Xu said at the conference.

"China has made great progress this year in weapons control which is the result of Chinese police officers' continued efforts with management, law enforcement and support from central government and governmental organizations at all levels," said Xu.

But, Xu said, "crimes with illegal weapons are still rampant in certain regions around the country, which pose a serious threat to local people's lives and properties."

"Qinghai and Guizhou Provinces face great pressure from gun crime in spite of our stepped up efforts," Xu said when responding to reporter's question on the overall situation on weapons control in China.

"A lack of legal knowledge and a wish for relief from poverty led to the rampant manufacture and sales of illegal weapons throughout the provinces."

"One gun is worth 1500-3000 yuan (US$185-375$), which is enticing for local residents who earn several hundred yuan a year for their hard work in the fields."

Xu said the Ministry of Public Security would target gun control in Hua Long, Qinghai Province and Song tong, Guizhou Province.

China issued the People's Republic of China Law on Gun Control in 1996 in a bid to clamp down on illegal weapons smuggling, manufacture and sales, but the issue is still a problem due to a lack of knowledge of the law and unbalanced economic development between the country's eastern and western regions.

"Although China has laws on guns control, the overall situation is still not looking good, " noted Xu.

Guangdong Province, an economic hub in southern China, has a much higher rate of gun crime due to gangs in neighboring Hong Kong and Macao.

"But in recent years, Guangdong Province has seen a sharp decline in crime thanks to the continued efforts on weapons control," Xu said.

Xu pledges to cooperate with police officers from Hong Kong and Macao in an effort to fight against gun crime.

Xu said China has confiscated more than 38 million illicit guns in recent years, most of which are homemade guns, leading to few real guns being used in crimes.

101 are killed and 181 injured in China in 2005 in 22 separate accidents, caused by illegally produced, stored and sold explosives, the Ministry of Public Security announced.

Nine similar accidents have taken place since the beginning of this year in the country, leaving 60 dead and 36 injured, the ministry said.

In April this year, a hospital administrator and his driver in northern China admitted illegally storing explosives that detonated at the facility, killing at least 31 people.

In 2005, an explosion from illegal explosives left 14 dead and five injured in a village in Henan Province, reported Xinhua.

In March 2004, another similar blast killed 12 and injured 10 in Shanxi Province, North China. Police later found two tons of explosives stored in an old temple.