Security force will be intensified this year for the 18th Urumqi Trade Fair in the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, police said Thursday.

Security will be placed at the highest level for the opening ceremony of the fair on Sept. 1, and second highest for the rest of the events.

The police made careful plans for deploying security forces, said a police officer.

In early July, the Urumqi riot led to 197 deaths.

The trade fair is expected to attract business people from 21 provinces and many other countries including Russia, Kazakstan and Uzbekistan this year.

The annual trade fair, China's only business event targeting central, west and south Asia, was upgraded to a major international business gathering at national level in 2008.

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2009)