China saw a 25.7 percent year-on-year decline in the number of criminal cases in 2024, with a safe environment continuously provided for the public, said Zhang Ming, spokeswoman of the Ministry of Public Security, on Friday.

The country also witnessed a 37.5 percent drop in the number of cases involving guns and explosives, Zhang said at a news conference on the fifth Chinese People's Police Day.

In 2024, police officers nationwide solved 38,000 drug cases and seized 24.4 metric tons of various kinds of drugs, according to her.

She revealed that during the same period, 208 police officers lost their lives, and 174 auxiliary police officers died in the line of duty. In addition, 4,743 police officers and 3,710 auxiliary police officers suffered injuries while performing their duties, she added.

In July 2020, the State Council, China's cabinet, approved the application submitted by the Ministry of Public Security to make Jan 10 in 2021 and in every year thereafter the "Chinese People's Police Day".