Foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu refused direct comment when asked at a regular briefing about the weekend call for a "Jasmine Revolution" and the dozens of activists who have been detained or have disappeared in recent days.

He instead highlighted the "common will of the Chinese people to focus on construction and development".

"It is the common aspiration of the Chinese people to promote social and political stability, promote social harmony and safeguard the livelihoods of the people," Ma said.

"No force can sway our resolve."

A domino effect of political upheaval that began in Tunisia has spread across the Middle East and North Africa, toppling presidents in Tunisia and Egypt and sparking unrest in Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and elsewhere.

China has heavily censored or blocked media reports and Internet searches about the unrest, and comments from officials and state media hint at growing official concern about the possibility of widespread unrest in China.

On Sunday, only a handful of protesters turned out amid a heavy security presence in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other cities.

That same day, the country's powerful security czar, Zhou Yongkang, said authorities needed to "make efforts to nip in the bud social contradictions and disputes" and work to improve the "healthy development" of the Internet.

China has a huge Internet censorship system that blocks content deemed objectionable by the ruling Communist Party.

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