CHINA has ordered a crackdown on crime and tightened supervision over firearms and explosives ahead of a major Party congress in November, State media reported yesterday.Public Security Minister Jia Chunwang ordered police to deepen the ongoing “Strike Hard” anti-crime campaign, which demands faster investigations and trials.The congress, the first national gathering of the Communist Party of China in five years, is scheduled to be held in Beijing beginning Nov. 8. Delegates are expected to appoint top leaders at the congress.As in many countries, China tightens security around major political events to ensure that they go ahead smoothly.Seven provinces and municipalities surrounding Beijing have been ordered to take particularly strict measures against explosives and illegal weapons ahead of the congress, the report said.(SD-Agencies)