China's top legislature Thursday passed the country's first law on armed police. It not only gives the police new duties but also statutory authority to respond to riots, terrorist attacks and other emergencies.

The Law on People's Armed Police Force (PAPF) of the People's Republic of China mandates the mobilization of the PAPF to deal with riots, chaotic situations, serious violent crimes, terrorist attacks and other emergencies.

Armed PAPF members will patrol China's municipalities, provincial and regional capitals with weapons during periods of unrest, and also take responsibility for the security of major transport lines and important public facilities.

Without defining the times when such activities would be authorized, the law says the PAPF will also shoulder the responsibility of assisting other law enforcement forces in arrest, pursuit and escort missions.

The PAPF -- drawn from China's police force -- was founded in 1982 as an internal security force to provide services ranging from protecting important political figures to urban firefighting.

Under the command of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and the State Council, China's Cabinet, the armed police played a major role in quelling riots in Lhasa on March 14 last year and in Urumqi on July 5.

(Xinhua News Agency August 27, 2009)