A senior police official from Guangdong province has promised to build a professional anti-terrorism police force to help safeguard the province's economic development and social stability.

Li Chunsheng, vice-governor and director-general of the province's Department of Public Security, made the pledge on Wednesday while attending a ceremony marking the establishment of the Division of the Anti-Terrorism Police Force in Guangzhou.

"The fight against terrorism in our country is complex and tough, and both the central and provincial governments have attached great importance to the work against terrorism at the moment," Li said.