Local officials have been told they will be denied promotions unless they minimise social unrest in their areas.

"Officials who perform poorly in maintaining social stability in rural areas will not be qualified for promotion," senior Communist Party official Ouyang Song told Xinhua news agency.

The vice-minister of public security, Liu Jinguo, has also ordered local police to launch month-long inspections of the causes and extent of "mass incidents" and other social disorder in rural areas.

"Mass incidents" is a term used by the Government for the fast-growing numbers of riots, protests and other public outbursts.

"Fugitive criminals and underworld gangs, as well as those who steal rural production materials, produce or sell fake and substandard commodities, kidnap children and women and smuggle drugs, explosives and guns will be targeted," Mr Liu said.

Both men made the comments during a Beijing conference on rural security.

Rising public discontent, especially among the huge segments of society marginalised in China's economic boom, has become a source of serious government concern.

According to the most recent publicised government figures, 87,000 "mass incidents" were reported across China in 2005, up 6.6 per cent on 2004 and 50 per cent on 2003.

Such outbursts, along with more individual acts of protest, have a range of causes, often including illegal seizures of farmers' land by corrupt businesses and officials, anger over worsening environmental degradation, heavy-handed treatment by local authorities or depression.

Most Chinese who suffer from depression do not get proper treatment because of a lack of psychiatrists and widespread public prejudice.

China has 17,000 registered psychiatrists for its 30 million depression patients, a tenth the ratio in Western countries.

The Ministry of Health claims that about 16 million people in China suffer mental disorders, but experts put the figure at closer to 100 million - including at least 30 million youngsters.

The comments on public order come as the Communist Party prepares for a five-yearly party congress later this year. Congresses are typically preceded by efforts to address politically embarrassing problems.

AFP