Local legislators are opposing recent police anti-terrorism drills aimed at workers seeking back pay through demonstrations, saying that police should help - not target - people who have not received their due wages.

"Why are drills targeting workers who are involved in group disturbances following defaulted wages?" asked Liu Xiaogang, a deputy to the Guangzhou people's congress.

But Zhang Yitao, a Guangzhou public security bureau press officer, said "such drills help maintain public security".

Guangdong province, which is home to thousands of overseas-invested companies, has become known for mass disturbances due to a rising number of companies that closed in recent years.

Police in this southern boomtown launched a series of anti-terrorism drills in the last two months, as part of efforts to maintain public security before next year's Asian Games. As the year comes to an end, local police have strengthened efforts to prevent so-called "mass disturbances" involving workers, mainly migrants.

The end of the year is a prime time for such disturbances as a rising number of workers have been seeking defaulted wages from companies.

"But police should protect workers from being defaulted," Liu, also deputy director of the Guangzhou labor union, told China Daily yesterday.

In the latest drill, riot police detained more than 10 workers seeking back pay by using extreme measures such as burning facilities in a factory.

Last year alone, Guangdong reported 211 mass disturbances resulting from defaulted wages, sources with provincial police authorities said.

To better protect workers' rights, authorities in the provincial capital have introduced a new wages plan since July, which requires companies and construction operators to deposit up to 2 percent of contracted value before operation.

"The margins will be used if firms delay workers' pay," said Lin Zhengsheng, an official with the Guangzhou labor authorities.