Violent attacks have become a major cause of injury for police officers, according to figures released by the Ministry of Public Security.

Between 2008 and 2012, 16,821 public security personnel were wounded in the line of duty.

About 5,450 had been assaulted, accounting for 32.4 percent of the injured.

Over the same period, 2,204 officers were also killed, an average of 441 a year.

"Serving as a police officer is a high-risk, high-pressure job," ministry spokesman Wen Guohui said on Tuesday. "When officers are conducting investigations, pursuing criminals or handling emergencies, violent attacks can occur and their safety is often threatened."

In February last year, Ke Zhanjun, a drug enforcement officer in Xishuangbanna prefecture of Yunnan province, was shot dead while pursuing a 35-year-old drug trafficker from Myanmar.

According to the ministry’s latest data, 11,286 police officers have died carrying out their duty since 1981, with 164,250 injured.