The remarks echoed what Public Security Minister Meng Jianzhu had said last month.

"Currently, the overall social order is good but rapid development of the Internet and loopholes in social management are posing unprecedented challenges to maintaining a stable society," Meng said at a seminar in Anhui province where police chiefs from across the country were present.

Pu Zhiqiang, a Beijing-based lawyer said the remarks showed that police would pay more attention to opinions expressed online.