Central and Local Government Officials Again Pledge to Improve Mine Safety

March 30, 2006

Premier Wen Jiabao pledged in a March 6, 2006, address to delegates of the National People’s Congress to increase central government spending on mine safety, and admitted that China’s mine safety has "serious problems," according to a March 6, 2006, South China Morning Post report (subscription required). Wen placed the primary responsibility for mine accidents on local officials, and allowed that, together with traffic accidents, mine accidents result in great losses in lives and property. He said that China's poor safety record is the result of the huge demand for coal, poor implementation of safety rules, lack of oversight by local officials, and the corruption of safety officials and mine owners. Wen said the central government would contribute some 3 billion yuan (approximately US $374 million) to develop solutions to coal mine gas explosions, and he called on local governments and mine owners to invest more in safety programs.

Premier Wen Jiabao pledged in a March 6, 2006, address to delegates of the National People’s Congress to increase central government spending on mine safety, and admitted that China’s mine safety has "serious problems," according to a March 6, 2006, South China Morning Post report (subscription required). Wen placed the primary responsibility for mine accidents on local officials, and allowed that, together with traffic accidents, mine accidents result in great losses in lives and property. He said that China's poor safety record is the result of the huge demand for coal, poor implementation of safety rules, lack of oversight by local officials, and the corruption of safety officials and mine owners. Wen said the central government would contribute some 3 billion yuan (approximately US $374 million) to develop solutions to coal mine gas explosions, and he called on local governments and mine owners to invest more in safety programs.

Local officials have already begun to act to improve coal mine safety. For example, eight mine safety inspection supervisors have started work in Mentougou District of Beijing Municipality, reported The Beijing News on March 2. The inspection supervisors, trained by a new mine safety office established by Mentougou local government, will be deployed to small mines in the district to ensure safe production.

In some areas of China, however, official mine safety initiatives have been completed and then abandoned. Safety production officials found that mines that had been ordered closed in Fangshan District of Beijing Municipality continued to operate illegally, according to a Beijing News report. Some mines had not been closed and sealed as ordered, others had their seals removed, and in others, operators drilled new shafts near the original pithead.

One central government official responsible for work safety sees corruption, often in the form of investments in mines by local government officials, as part of the cause of mine safety problems. Li Yizhong, director of the State Administration of Work Safety, said that supervisory officials and Party members would be punished if they neglected safety rules or refused to disclose their investments, according to a March 2 Legal Daily article. Li urged that local officials who do not declare their financial holdings should be removed from office immediately. He emphasized that Party members should work to clear up corruption and officials who continue to act illegally would be punished.