Chinese police in the southwestern city of Chongqing shot dead a fugitive serial killer and armed robber on Tuesday after a massive manhunt aimed at reassuring people the government would continue a crime crackdown begun by sacked party boss Bo Xilai.

Zhou Kehua, 42, who was responsible for nine deaths across several provinces, was finally cornered and shot dead at a Chongqing shoe factory around dawn, the official Xinhua news agency said, in a case which has gripped the country, according to Reuters.

Keen to put on a show of strength after the sacking earlier this year of Chongqing's controversial Communist Party head Bo, who led a high-profile crimebusting campaign, authorities mobilized thousands of police to catch the killer.

Zhou had been implicated in robberies and killings in three provinces dating back to 2004, and resurfaced last week to shoot dead a woman outside a Chongqing bank, Xinhua said.

Authorities described Zhou, who targeted people withdrawing money from banks, as "ruthless and extremely dangerous".