Zhou Yongkang (2nd L rear), member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau and the secretary of the CPC Central Political and Legislative Affairs Committee, addresses the year's second plenary meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensive Management of Public Security in Beijng, Oct. 30, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

    BEIJING, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- A member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau on Friday pledged that the campaign against organized crime would continue until criminal gangs were eradicated.

    Greater efforts should be made to uncover major criminal cases and try to change criminal zones into economically developed safe areas, said Zhou Yongkang at the year's second plenary meeting of the Central Committee for Comprehensive Management of Public Security.

    Zhou urged local authorities to step up management of public security at the grassroots level.

    He also stressed the importance of properly resettling former prisoners and guaranteeing basic livelihoods, said the official, who also heads the CPC Central Political and Legislative Affairs Committee.

    Zhou's words came in the middle of an on-going trial of 31 people, including Li Qiang, a businessman and former deputy to the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress, and three local civil servants, on charges of gang-related crimes in the southwestern China's municipality.

    The trial, which was started on Monday and were expected to last for five days, was one of a series of organized crime trials resulting from investigations into 14 alleged mafia-style gangs in Chongqing.

    Also present at Friday's meeting were State-councilor and Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu, president of the Supreme People's Court Wang Shengjun, and Procurator-General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate Cao Jianming.