Luo Gan, part of the nine-member Politburo Standing Committee that rules China, told a two-day national security meeting in the western city of Xi'an that local officials should use more mediation in dealing with social conflicts and disputes.

"Reasoning, consultation and negotiation should be applied in a comprehensive way to dissolve social conflicts," Luo was quoted as saying.

Local officials should listen to pleas raised by the masses "to ensure their problems can be effectively resolved", he added.

It is more determined than ever to maintain stability for the 17th Party Congress, a five-yearly meeting to be held later this year at which key leadership decisions will be made.

Liu Jinguo, a vice minister of public security, told the same forum that the security of the Party congress and of the Beijing Olympics in 2008 were priorities and said police should handle mass incidents as quickly as possible to prevent conflicts from intensifying.

He said more police with desk jobs would be reassigned to work at the grassroots to resolve conflicts and maintain order.