The Beijing Capital International Airport will use a face recognition system starting this Sunday to stop people from pretending to be airport staff and sneaking into restricted areas.

As one of the measures to beef up security for the 60th National Day celebration, it is expected to prevent terrorists from jeopardizing the safety of the public and aircraft, Lu Haifeng, manager of aviation security department with the airport, said yesterday.

The face recognition system requires only one second to check a person by comparing selected facial features with a facial database.

It is highly accurate, with an error rate of only 0.01 percent, he said.

"The system will be a high-tech wall to assist the airport in keeping out dangerous people," he said.

Though the system is widely used in developed countries such as the United States, the capital airport is the first domestic airport to install such a system, he said.

Zhuhai airport in Guangdong province and Hong Kong International Airport have installed fingerprint recognition systems for security.

The capital airport picked the face recognition system partly because airport employees will be more likely to accept such security checks, he said.

So far, seven sets of the face recognition systems have been installed in the third terminal building of the airport, the largest one in the country.

The other two terminal buildings will also install the system in the near future, he said.

Though it is being installed as a measure to beef up security for the 60th anniversary of new China, the system will stay after the celebrations, he said.

The security measures have tightened at the airport since July.

Police have intensified checkups on suspicious people and items, and armed police officers have patrolled the airport since Aug 28.

Beijing has also widened a ban on flying activities. Police said the ban, which is effective from Sept 15 to Oct 8, applies to sports, recreational and advertising flight activities in the capital.

Li Runhua, head of the public security squadron of the Beijing municipal public security bureau, said residents were banned from releasing pigeons, flying kites and balloons - even at celebrations and shopping promotions.

Residents are encouraged to report to police if they find suspicious flying objects.

Police also started to check every vehicle entering Beijing at nearly 200 major road intersections and security check points on Tuesday.

Police will check the ID of drivers and passengers, and confiscate imitation guns, fireworks and knives until Oct 8. More than 7,000 police have been patrolling the city's major roads and business districts since Aug 22.

Nearly 6,000 police officers and 460 fire engines were put on alert for fire hazards on Tuesday, and will remain so until National Day on Oct 1.

Law enforcement officers and volunteers will be mobilized to help patrol designated areas around Tian'anmen Square.

The municipal postal organization said different post offices across the city will step up inspections of parcels and mail.

All postal organizations across the country are asked to inspect mailed items in the presence of customers in a bid to guarantee safety.

Materials banned from mail services include items such as weapons and ammunition, explosives, flammables, corrosive materials, poisons, narcotics, biochemical products and infectious goods.

(China Daily September 18, 2009)