Italian police joined their Chinese counterparts in conducting joint patrols in four cities in China on Monday, a cooperative exercise that will help police assist tourists from each other's country.

The operation is expected to provide better public security service and raise confidence in security when citizens of one country visit the other country.

Invited by the Ministry of Public Security, eight Italian police officers came to China to carry out joint patrols with Chinese police at tourist attractions in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing and Guangzhou.

During the operation, the Italian police officers will not carry any weapons or police equipment to comply with Chinese law. They will cooperate with the Chinese police to provide assistance and advice in handling safety problems that might involve Italian tourists visiting China.

The two sides will, in the meantime, share experiences to improve law enforcement capabilities and deepen mutual understanding and trust.

Pan Xuhong, deputy director of the Beijing Public Security Bureau, said on Monday that the Sino-Italian relationship has continued to develop with more frequent and closer trade in recent years.

"As a result, people from both countries are demanding stronger cooperation in law enforcement to crack down on crimes and effectively protect their personal safety and property," he said. "We hope that the police from the two countries can further strengthen the exchange of law enforcement practice and better understand each other's legal systems and policing models."

In turn, China will send police officers to Italy in September to conduct joint patrol in Italian cities, including Rome and Milan, and to help Italian policemen tackle safety issues concerning Chinese citizens.

They will set up a hotline for Chinese nationals and visit local Chinese communities and Chinese-funded enterprises and institutions. They also will learn about security situations and the needs of Chinese to better protect their safety when abroad, according to the Ministry of Public Security.