On August 13, the Shanghai Exhibition Center (SEC) was filled with the aroma of books as the annual Shanghai Book Fair and “Reading China” Shanghai Week officially commenced. This cultural celebration, running until August 19, has drawn crowds of enthusiastic readers. To ensure a safe and orderly experience for all visitors, the Jing’an District police have deployed comprehensive security measures.
At 9 a.m. on the same day, a steady stream of visitors had already converged at the SEC’s entrance on Middle Yan’an Road. Jing’an traffic officers were on-site, managing vehicle and pedestrian flow. To balance regional traffic, police implemented detour guidance on surrounding roads, including West Nanjing Road, West Yan’an Road, Tongren Road, and Anyi Road, advising passing drivers to follow on-site instructions and plan routes in advance.
“We highly recommend using green travel options due to limited road capacity,” advised Officer Xu Wangyuan, from the First Brigade of Traffic Police Detachment of Jing’an Branch of Shanghai Public Security Bureau, while directing traffic. “Our priority is to ensure the book fair runs smoothly while minimizing disruption to city traffic.”
The book fair operates in both day and evening sessions. From August 13 to 18, the Night Reading Market activity is also held at the fountain plaza of the SEC. Given the extended hours and high foot traffic, Jing’an police have collaborated closely with organizers and management, conducting pre-event safety capacity assessments and adopting a dynamic standby approach.
“West Hall 1 is experiencing heavy footfall—reinforce crowd control and monitoring...” At the command center, the commander deployed dynamic police resources based on real-time visitor statistics and video surveillance data. “This approach ensures targeted crowd management and rapid emergency response,” explained He Linshen, Deputy Director of the Commanding Office of Jing’an Branch of Shanghai Public Security Bureau.
Additionally, Jing’an police continued their “air-ground coordination” management approach, using drones to expand video surveillance coverage beyond core exhibition areas. “This approach broadens our supervision and enhances both precision in command and efficiency of emergency response,” He Linshen added. The police pledged a strict crackdown on illegal activities near the venue, including unauthorized drone flights, ticket scalping, pickpocketing, and fraud, to safeguard the order of the book fair.
How to facilitate the smooth entry of a large influx of visitors? The Jing’an police have implemented meticulous measures. At the metro station exits and bus stops leading to the exhibition hall, the “Four-Agency Coordination“ mechanism operates efficiently— involving police, metro, bus, and transport departments that collaborated to deploy a comprehensive system of clear directional signage. As crowds gather at the entrance, dedicated police officers work closely with security personnel to dynamically adjust the security screening channels based on real-time monitoring.
“Safety is the bottom line, and efficiency is our pursuit,” stated Han Peipei, Deputy Director of the West Nanjing Road Police Station, while supervising the security check. “We will flexibly increase or decrease the number of channels according to visitor flow, ensuring smooth entry while maintaining utmost safety.”
In anticipation of potential peak attendance this weekend, the Jing’an police have been well-prepared for the event. The fountain plaza, hosting the Night Reading Market, is expected to attract significant evening crowds. Police have established multi-agency coordination on-site to keep the flow in order and deployed mobile reinforcement units. For popular events such as author signing sessions, a combination of foot patrols and video surveillance provides double assurance, further ensuring order and safety.
These efforts, visible and behind the scenes, create tangible reassurance for visitors and readers. On the first day of the book fair, Ms. Li, a mother browsing children’s books with her daughter, noted, “We feel reassured by the dedication of police officers posted near Middle Yan’an Road and Tongren Road. The security line moved quickly and orderly. When someone forgot to bring along their ID, police officers helped verify details.”
As the book fair continues, the Jing’an police will adopt measures to safeguard the event, ensuring a safe, smooth, and welcoming experience for all.