The Communist Party chief of southwest China's Guizhou Province has stressed the importance of social stability, as police reopened investigations into the death of a female student that sparked a violent protest over the weekend.

Provincial Party chief Shi Zongyuan, who was in Weng'an County to direct the handling of the violence, on Monday called for local authorities to handle the situation properly. He said, "We must put maintaining social harmony and stability on the top of our agenda."

The incident started from a simple cause but was used and incited by very few people with ulterior motives, and some gangsters took part, said the senior official.

Shi urged strict punishment for organizers, masterminds and key rioters, but an oral caution for minor offenders.

Police had originally labeled the death of Li Shufen, aged 17, as suicide by drowning, but the conclusion sparked outraged protests from residents of Weng'an, where she lived, who believed she had been raped and killed by three people who had connections with local government and police officials.

Li was a student at the No. 3 Middle School in Weng'an. Her body was recovered from a river in the county on June 22. The provincial government has sent 10 criminal investigators and forensic experts to reinvestigate the death.

Up to 30,000 people took to the streets in protest over the weekend, with vehicles and offices torched and police hurt. A total of 20 police were injured, along with 30 protesters. Parts of the county's Communist Party Committee building were gutted by fire, and 20 police vehicles were burnt.

Police sources told Xinhua people who had no knowledge about the details of the girl's death had been incited to violence.

The county public security bureau has broadcast appeals for order to be maintained and demanded those who committed offences should turn themselves in.

Provincial Party chief Shi Zongyuan said there must be deep-seated reasons beyond the death of the girl behind the violent protest. He said disputes over mines, immigration, relocation of residents for construction projects and others had not been given due attention for quite a long time.

He was critical of local officials, saying they had shortcomings that dissatisfied residents, "we must draw a lesson from the problems exposed."

Shi met with representatives from groups in Yongyang Town, the county seat of Weng'an, including retired officials, business people, students and eyewitnesses of the protest, on Monday evening.

He also met with government officials, local lawmakers and political advisors to hear their reports.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2008)