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Speakers:

Mr. Wang Xiangxi, minister of emergency management

Mr. Song Yuanming, vice minister of emergency management

Mr. Wang Daoxi, vice minister of emergency management

Mr. Xu Ping, political commissar of the National Fire and Rescue Administration 

Mr. Min Yiren, administrator of the China Earthquake Administration 

Mr. Huang Jinsheng, administrator of the National Mine Safety Administration

Chairperson:

Mr. Chen Wenjun, director general of the Press Bureau of the State Council Information Office (SCIO) and spokesperson of the SCIO

Date:

June 8, 2023

Chen Wenjun:

Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Welcome to this press conference held by the State Council Information Office (SCIO). This is our 17th briefing in the series "Embarking on the New Journey — A Government Perspective." Today, we have invited Mr. Wang Xiangxi, minister of emergency management, to brief you on implementing the major decisions and plans of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and promoting the modernization of the emergency management system and its capacity. He will also take your questions. In addition, we are also joined today by Mr. Song Yuanming, vice minister of emergency management, Mr. Wang Daoxi, vice minister of emergency management, Mr. Xu Ping, political commissar of the National Fire and Rescue Administration, Mr. Min Yiren, administrator of the China Earthquake Administration, and Mr. Huang Jinsheng, administrator of the National Mine Safety Administration.

Now, I'll give the floor to Mr. Wang for a brief introduction.

Wang Xiangxi:

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, and friends from the media. Good morning! It gives me great pleasure to be here with you today. First, on behalf of the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM), I would like to sincerely thank the media for your continuous care, support and assistance in the field of emergency management. Today, my colleagues and I will communicate with you about implementing the major decisions and plans of the 20th CPC National Congress and promoting the modernization of the emergency management system and its capacity.

Established in 2018 as part of reforming Party and state institutions, the MEM bears crucial responsibility for preventing and mitigating major safety risks, responding promptly to various disasters and accidents, and safeguarding the lives and property of the public while maintaining social stability. The ministry manages the National Fire and Rescue Administration, the National Mine Safety Administration, and the China Earthquake Administration. Over the years, we have steadfastly followed the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, diligently implemented the decisions and directives of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and worked collaboratively with relevant departments to effectively prevent, mitigate and respond to risks, thereby ensuring safety in production and comprehensive disaster prevention, mitigation and relief of the country. Between 2018 and 2022, the total number of nationwide production safety accidents and associated fatalities decreased by 80.8% and 51.4%, respectively, compared to the previous five years. Additionally, the number of deaths and missing persons due to natural disasters declined by 54.3% compared to the preceding five years.

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress made arrangements to enhance public safety governance in a specific section and put forward clear requirements for emergency management. Taking the implementation of the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress as its primary political task, the MEM has focused on vigorous implementation, pursued high-quality development with high-level safety, and ensured a new development pattern with a new security architecture . Specifically, our efforts in this regard lie in the following four aspects:

First, the MEM focuses on system improvement. In accordance with the requirement of "establishing an overall safety and emergency response framework, " the MEM has leveraged the comprehensive strength and expertise of related government departments. It has worked to enhance coordination between unified and separate management, prevention and rescue efforts, and higher and lower levels of government. It has also worked to ensure that all links are held accountable in emergencies and develop an emergency response working pattern featuring concerted efforts, collaboration and high efficiency. Since the beginning of this year, the MEM has made extra efforts to improve responsibility systems, optimize command mechanisms, strengthen the legal structure and enhance primary-level emergency response and management capabilities. For example, regarding the difficulties of duty delivery, the MEM provided guidance to all localities. This guidance included a directive to establish a clear list of responsibilities for Party and government leaders in ensuring safe production and managing and reducing disasters. The MEM also specified regulatory departments' industrial supervision responsibilities. According to this specification, when these departments oversee businesses, industries, and production and business operations, they must supervise safety issues. Moreover, the MEM specified regulatory bodies' duty regarding the possible risks brought about by new business forms and materials. The MEM also strengthened the fulfillment of enterprises' primary responsibilities. It carried out safety management assessments for persons in charge and safety management staff of centrally-administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs), local SOEs and private enterprises in high-risk sectors. For areas and enterprises experiencing frequent occurrences of accidents, the MEM has issued warnings and admonitions, sent public notifications, dispatched on-site supervision teams and exposed cases via media outlets in a bid to ensure the fulfillment of duties.

Second, the MEM focuses on prevention. In accordance with the requirement of "driving a shift in public safety governance toward a model of prevention ," the MEM has paid more attention to preventive work, prioritized safety risk prevention and control at the source, and made efforts on regular management, monitoring and early warning, and engineering governance, in a bid to create a safe environment which is conducive to development. So far, the MEM has conducted online monitoring for over 6,900 enterprises with major hazard installations and hazardous chemical firms, 3,400 coal mines, and 2,400 tailings ponds of third-class or above. Automatic alarms will be triggered with related emergency response measures for any incidents.

Thirdly, we are focusing on targeted rectification efforts. This year, we have witnessed a decline in the number of accidents and fatalities related to workplace safety; however, there has been a resurgence of serious and major accidents. So this year, we launched a nationwide campaign to identify and address hazards of major accidents. Drawing from the lessons learned, we are implementing specific measures to tackle prominent challenges in mine safety, fire safety, and hazardous chemical products . To improve the impact of our rectification efforts, we are prioritizing the improvement of risk and hazard investigation and the effectiveness of rectification while also enhancing the strong desire and capabilities in identifying and solving problems. We are closely monitoring areas such as welding and cutting operations, construction activities that surpass design limits on open-pit mine slopes, and sites with poor management practices. We have deployed multiple law enforcement teams to conduct unannounced visits and inspections in key regions, and their findings have been publicly disclosed through mainstream media. Additionally, we have dispatched 20 comprehensive inspection teams to supervise and inspect, ensuring the successful implementation of the rectification campaign.

Fourthly, we are dedicated to enhancing our capabilities. With a focus on strengthening disaster prevention, mitigation, and response capacities for major public emergencies, we have been continuously implementing key projects for natural disaster prevention and control. Our goal is to establish an emergency rescue system with characterized by a comprehensive national fire and rescue force supported by specialized rescue teams, military emergency units, and collaboration with social forces. Currently, all six national-level regional rescue centers have already started construction. In May of this year, we conducted the Emergency Mission 2023 exercise in Yunnan, which tested and honed our earthquake rescue capabilities in an all-around way in high-mountain and canyon regions.

As we are currently marking the 22nd national workplace safety month, we hope that the media community will continue their support and engagement in emergency management. By actively promoting and disseminating safety knowledge, we aim to raise safety consciousness and emergency preparedness among the public, where individuals understand the importance of safety and possess the skills necessary to respond effectively in crisis situations.

That's all my opening remarks. Next, my colleagues and I are ready to answer your questions. We look forward to exchanging ideas with all of you. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

Thank you, Mr. Wang. The floor is now open for questions. Please identify the news outlet you represent before raising your questions.

China Central Television:

Since the founding of the MEM, we have seen marked improvement in the country's rescue effectiveness in multiple disaster relief scenarios. What measures has the ministry taken to improve emergency rescue capabilities to meet the requirements for addressing all types of disasters and major emergencies? Thank you.

Wang Xiangxi:

Thank you. I'll take this question. Over the years, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we have seen significant improvement in our emergency relief capabilities as we have successfully handled a series of major natural disasters and some serious and major accidents. Notable examples include the efficient and organized rescue and relief operations carried out during the Luding Earthquake in Sichuan province and the mountain fire in Chongqing. These achievements can be attributed to China's political advantage, which stems from the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC, as well as the strengths of our system that allows us to mobilize resources effectively to accomplish major missions. Additionally, the organizational advantages provided by the Party leadership have played a crucial role. To enhance our emergency rescue capabilities, the following work has been done in recent years:

Firstly, we have placed great emphasis on strengthening the national comprehensive firefighting and rescue team. This team, which serves as the main force and national team in emergency rescue, used to primarily focus on fire prevention and extinguishing. However, it has now taken on the responsibility of handling rescue missions for all types of disasters and major emergencies. Through reform and transformation, we have established specialized teams for water, mountain, and earthquake rescue, totaling over 5,000 teams. Moreover, our rescue equipment has undergone significant enhancements, including the deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles, large-scale drainage pumps, and rescue robots. With the support of this team, we have set up six national-level regional emergency rescue centers across the country and strengthened our aviation rescue capabilities. This dedicated team, inspired by the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping, consistently demonstrates its commitment to the people by fearlessly stepping forward and confronting dangers during critical moments. They have earned high praise from local governments, the public, and the international community for their selfless contributions for their participation in international rescue operations following the major earthquake in Turkey this February.

Secondly, we have adopted a coordinated approach to the development and coordination of various rescue forces. Leveraging the resources of relevant enterprises, particularly state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and centrally administered SOEs, we have established 102 national emergency rescue teams dedicated to ensuring workplace safety. These teams cover high-risk industries such as mining, hazardous chemical products, and tunnel construction. Additionally, we have established seven specialized engineering emergency response teams. Furthermore, we have actively integrated social forces into the rescue system, resulting in approximately 2,300 teams comprising nearly 50,000 personnel. Moving forward, we will continue to enhance the regulation and development of social forces within the rescue system. In addition, we have established effective coordination and synergy mechanism with the military to carry out joint rescue in times of major disasters .

Third, we have established and refined the emergency rescue command mechanism. The national emergency operations center has been built and put into operation. We have also established a mechanism combining central and local command with professional team command. We have strengthened the coordination mechanism between localities and the military. Our focus has been on building command systems and enhancing command abilities at the grassroots level, improving the ability to evaluate emergency incidents and conduct on-site command.

Fourth, we have focused on improving our ability to fight large-scale and difficult battles. We have conducted training to enhance our capabilities in line with military standards. With complex scenarios in consideration, we made the training and exercises challenging, quickly strengthened efforts to station response teams at high-risk areas in advance, and rigorously enhanced emergency preparedness. In recent years, we have launched joint emergency exercises with local governments annually, particularly earthquake drills. This year, we conducted one in Yunnan province. Under extreme conditions, such as network and power outages, as well as road blockages, we trained our rescue teams, improved plans, and coordinated working mechanisms, enhancing their abilities through exercises.

That was my answer. Thank you.

Beijing Youth Daily:

The Work Safety Commission under China's State Council recently carried out a special operation to investigate and rectify hidden safety risks to prevent major accidents . How is the operation different from previous ones? What progress and achievements have we achieved? Thank you.

Song Yuanming:

Thank you. As Mr. Wang just mentioned, the operation is mainly designed to implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on production safety. The State Council's Work Safety Commission has done research and arranged the special operation to investigate and rectify hidden safety risks to prevent major accidents in 2023. This operation was reviewed at the plenary meeting of the State Council's Work Safety Commission and approved by Premier Li Qiang. This action revolves around two aspects proposed by Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, which are to effectively improve the quality of hidden risk investigation and rectification and to effectively enhance the willingness and ability to uncover and solve problems. It encompasses three aspects: the primary responsibility of enterprises, the regulatory responsibility of various departments, and the leadership responsibility of local Party committees and governments. Each party is assigned five critical tasks and they are required to coordinate to achieve practical results during this operation. Compared with previous operations, this one has the following features:

First, we are focusing on major hidden risks. Our focus lies on major accident hazards that have the potential to result in mass casualties. These hazards include uncompliant hot work operation, disorganized management of outsourcing and leasing, enterprises not conducting emergency drills, employees being unfamiliar with escape exits, and other lessons learned from previous accidents. We make the priorities clear and don't target all issues indiscriminately.

Second, we are focusing on the "key few." Those holding principal positions in leadership are the first to be held accountable for eliminating major accident hazards in accordance with the law. This operation focuses on the "key few," requiring principal members of leadership teams in enterprise s to take the lead in studying and organizing the investigation and rectification of major accident hazards. As the person in charge of the enterprise, they must lead the entire management team and all employees to implement their responsibilities.

Third, we are adopting a principle of "politeness first and force later." The special action requires all enterprises to conduct self-examination and self-correction for one to two months. During this period, enterprises can hire experts to help them uncover and solve problems or apply to the government for assistance and guidance. After these efforts, the government regulatory departments will make efforts to ensure precise and strict law enforcement. We will give companies time to check and correct their problems. However, we will punish them severely if they do not report or correct their problems. We will punish both the company and those who are the first to be held accountable in the company.

Fourth, focusing on "mechanism innovation." We require law enforcement teams to study and receive training first before conducting supervision and law enforcement. Law enforcement teams must also learn the criteria for judging major accident hazards. They are required to study them thoroughly before engaging in law enforcement, thereby improving the quality and ability of risk investigation. Additionally, we have designed a responsibility tracking system for safety supervision and law enforcement, which means "whoever checks is to be responsible." We have also developed an anonymous reporting and reward mechanism, focusing on solving problems such as failure to detect major hazards, failure to follow up on rectification after detecting major hazards, and inaccurate law enforcement. These efforts will help enhance the willingness and ability to uncover and solve problems.

The aforementioned four characteristics are something that I'd like to share. As for the progress of the special action, I'd like to say that all regions and relevant departments have completed the arrangements made in the first phase. Thirty-two provincial-level units and 35 member units of the State Council's Work Safety Commission have formulated and issued implementation plans for the special action in light of their actual conditions, and they have all made special deployments in this regard. Moreover, 13 industries have formulated and released 25 standards of judgment for identifying hidden dangers that can cause major accidents. The Office of the State Council's Work Safety Commission has set up 20 inspection teams to carry out supervision and inspection across the country. In addition, over 1,000 provincial-level working groups from all regions have been sent to prefecture-level cities to carry out supervision and inspection. Governments at all levels and all departments have inspected more than 1.2 million enterprises, ferreting out over 4.6 million hidden dangers, with more than 19,000 of them can cause major accidents. As a result, enterprises have been fined for more than 700 million yuan, and over 35,000 companies have been ordered to suspend production for rectification. Governments at all levels and all departments have also offered help and guidance for 307,000 enterprises and reward more than 4.5 million yuan for those who expose or offer clues. 

Going forward, the Office of the Work Safety Commission under the State Council will continue to step up efforts to strengthen management, investigation, supervision and assignment, as well as having talks and exposure. We will continue to strengthen performance assessment so as to ensure that the benefits of the special action will be fully delivered. 

Thank you.

21st Century Business Herald: 

What is the flood control situation like this year, as northern and southern China have both entered the flood season? What measures will be adopted by the General Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the MEM? Thank you.

Wang Daoxi:

Thank you for your concern about the work related to flood control and drought relief. According to the latest meteorological and hydrological data, there will be two rain belts in northern and southern China during the main flood season (from June to August) this year. Precipitation is expected to increase by over 10% in northeast, north, east, and south China, and precipitation in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River is expected to drop 20-50%. Major floods may occur in the middle and lower reaches of the Songhua River, the upper reaches of the Nenjiang River, the middle reaches of the Heilongjiang River, the Pearl River basin, Poyang Lake, and the Minjiang River. Summer drought may occur temporarily in Xinjiang, as well as the middle reaches and the eastern part of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The number of typhoons making landfall in the country is expected to be the same as usual, with their paths being expected to generally go west and northwest, affecting the coastal areas in south and east China.

In order to win the tough battle of flood control and drought relief this year, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has confirmed 2,521 people administratively responsible for the flood control and drought relief work nationwide this year. We have sent eight inspection teams to seven major river basins in 17 key provinces across the country to inspect their preparation work related to flood control and send targeted supervision lists to ensure those found to have problems will carry out the rectification work. Moreover, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters held joint drills for flood and typhoon prevention ahead of the flood season in the Yangtze River Delta area, and it also held national flood control and drought relief emergency response plans table-top exercises. By doing so, the coordinated working mechanism has been improved in an all-around manner. Going forward, we will make stepped-up efforts in the following aspects:

First, we will make sure that relevant departments will fulfill their responsibilities when it comes to flood control and drought relief. We will step up efforts to reinforce the system wherein the leading government officials shall assume overall responsibility for flood control and ensure that all the responsibilities can be fulfilled, including those regarding management, inspection, and techniques. We will urge local governments to establish a five-level responsibility system for flood control--the provincial, city, county, township, and village, with governments at higher administrative levels being responsible for that at lower levels. We will clarify the responsibilities and tasks for those who are held accountable for flood control at all levels. In particular, they need to well understand flood control plans and key jobs, as well as the risks and hidden dangers in their areas of responsibility. Local Party and government leaders have been required to direct the response work at the crucial moment for flood control, and those responsible for relevant jobs need to go to the front line as well. 

Second, we will strengthen coordination between monitoring and early warning systems and emergency response. We will organize meteorological, hydrological, and natural resources departments to carry out joint studies on flood and drought situation and respond according to plans and research results in a timely manner. Moreover, we will send working groups and experts to the frontline to assist local governments and departments to address flooding. We will help local governments improve the coordination mechanism of meteorological early warning and emergency response, ensuring that they are able to respond as soon as there is a warning. We will ramp up efforts to implement the “call and response” early warning mechanism, which can reach those in charge at the primary level so as to ensure that they will be able to adopt prevention measures as soon as possible.

Third, we will make greater efforts to strengthen inspection of major projects. We will urge local governments and departments to investigate hidden dangers and strengthen inspection over the key parts of major dams, hydroelectric power stations, and infrastructure facilities, as well as the weak links of dangerous reservoirs, structures passing through levee embankments, check dams, and tailing ponds so as to ensure early detection and quick responses.

Fourth, we will strengthen emergency rescue and evacuation, with a particular emphasis on areas prone to flooding. This involves ensuring the presence of pre-positioned emergency response teams and the availability of essential supplies and equipment. We will guide every region to implement evacuation measures outlined in the contingency plans. Priority must be given to the timely and decisive relocation of individuals from high-risk areas. The key focus areas include determining who should be evacuated, who should organize it, when to evacuate, selecting evacuation locations, and effectively managing the entire process. The aim is to facilitate comprehensive and timely evacuations for those requiring evacuation, thereby minimizing the risk of harm to individuals. Thank you.

Red Star News:

Since the second half of last year, major and catastrophic fire accidents have occurred in Anyang in Henan province, Jinhua in Zhejiang province, Cangzhou in Hebei province, and Fengtai district in Beijing. What common problems have been exposed by these fire accidents, and what targeted measures have been taken in response? Thank you.

Xu Ping:

Thank you for your questions. The fires mentioned just now resulted in serious casualties, especially the fire at Beijing Changfeng Hospital, which greatly compromised the bottom line of people's safety. Based on our analysis, these fires have revealed the following common problems:

First, there is a prominent issue of carrying out hot work and welding operations that violate regulations. The several fires mentioned were all a direct result of such rule-breaking activities. The necessary permits for such procedures had not been obtained, and there was a lack of fire protection measures at the worksites. The construction teams were not qualified, the construction personnel were not adequately trained, and the necessary safety measures had not been taken at the sites. 

Second, the problem of illegal construction is prominent. In renovation projects, some construction units engage in illegal subcontracting and cascading subcontracting practices. As a result, the management of the construction site is chaotic, which increases safety risks.

Third, there is a lack of safety management in leased factory buildings. The two units in Henan's Anyang and Zhejiang's Jinhua, both being large-scale buildings, were arbitrarily divided into rental spaces without unified management and there was a lack of coordination between enterprises. In particular, there were numerous flammable and combustible items, which posed a serious safety hazard. These incidents have taught us extremely profound lessons.

In response to the lessons revealed by these fires, we have taken the following measures:

First, we are implementing an intensive investigation and rectification of major risk hazards. The nationwide initiative for investigating and rectifying major fire safety risks in 2023 has been launched. It primarily targets three key types of locations: densely populated areas, sensitive and specialized sites, and mixed production and business areas known to pose a high risk of mass casualties and significant societal impact. The efforts focus on eight prominent issues, including unauthorized hot work construction, improper electro-gas welding, inappropriate use of thermal insulation materials, and the presence of flammable decorations. We are utilizing a combination of self-assessment by relevant entities, grassroots inspections, interdepartmental collaboration, and enhanced fire inspections. Strict law enforcement, government intervention, public scrutiny, and credit monitoring measures are being implemented with the utmost determination to eliminate major fire hazards.

Second, we are conducting a wide and comprehensive campaign to raise awareness and increase exposure. Various media platforms are being utilized to publicly report major and catastrophic fire accidents, focusing on spotlighting instances of unauthorized construction, hazardous hot work, welding operations, the presence of unauthorized "factories within factories," and subcontracting practices. Specialized promotional and training videos on fire safety in production facilities and hospitals are being developed. These videos, incorporating real-life fire cases and addressing common fire safety concerns and potential hazards, aim to ensure the enforcement of responsibility measures and disseminate crucial safety guidelines.

Third, we are elevating the capabilities of fire safety governance. Embracing the approach of addressing major risks while preventing minor ones, we maintain a vigilant focus on high-risk sites like high-rise buildings and large commercial complexes, low-security areas such as self-constructed buildings used for commercial purposes, and fire safety risks in new business forms and fields. A differentiated supervisory framework is being implemented, considering the specific characteristics of different categories. This approach emphasizes whole-process collaboration across the entire fire safety chain and between all relevant factors.

Thank you.

Cover News:

In recent years, China has vigorously promoted the construction of the Earthquake Early Warning System (EEWS) . Sichuan, Fujian, Yunnan, and many other places have already started to provide earthquake early warning information services. The National Seismic Intensity Rapid Reporting and Early Warning project is also expected to be completed and accepted by the end of 2023. How is the project going? What changes will it bring to enhance China's earthquake prevention and disaster reduction capabilities? Thank you.

Min Yiren:

Thank you for your concern and support for our earthquake prevention and disaster reduction work. Vigorously advancing the construction of China's earthquake early warning system (EEWS) and implementing the National Seismic Intensity Rapid Reporting and Early Warning project are important measures to implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's new concept on disaster prevention, mitigation and relief. Additionally, the measures will vigorously improve China's capabilities to prevent and mitigate earthquakes. The goal of this project is to establish a national seismic intensity rapid report and early warning observation network. This will allow for nationwide minute-level instrumental seismic intensity rapid reporting and second-level earthquake early warnings in key areas, providing services for the public to reduce disaster and defuse risks and for industries to make emergency responses. Under the supervision and guidance of the Party committee of the MEM, the Party leadership group of the China Earthquake Administration has always regarded the construction of the project as an important political task and has made important progress in promoting its construction and services. It has the following characteristics.

First, we have emphasized technological innovation. We have independently overcome a series of technical issues, including multi-network integration and stable second-level processing of massive real-time data. We have developed comprehensive decision-making processes incorporating multiple algorithms and centers. We have also achieved sub-second information dissemination for a large number of users. As a result of these advancements, we have established the world's largest earthquake early warning system. This has allowed us to make a leap in development, transitioning from minute-level earthquake rapid reporting to second-level earthquake early warning.

Second, we have strengthened integration. We have formed organizational collaborations with education, television broadcasting, and other sectors and departments as well as with local Party committees and governments. We have deepened our strategic and technical cooperation with enterprises such as China National Railway Group, China Tower, PipeChina, Huawei and the Institute of Care-life. Together, we are striving to build a unified network for China's EEWS.

Third, we have strengthened our application services. Upholding our commitment to public welfare and basic services, the earthquake departments have provided standard earthquake early warning information services to all sectors of society. We have encouraged, supported and regulated industry departments and enterprises to develop value-added early warning information services.

At present, the main construction tasks of the project have been completed. We have established 15,391 earthquake early warning stations, three national centers, 31 provincial centers, and 173 prefecture-level information release centers. China's EEWS, which comprises five major systems including station observation, data processing, information services, a communications network, and technical support, has launched pilot services in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and provinces including Sichuan, Yunnan and Fujian. The system is expected to be fully completed and accepted by the end of this year. Once the project is implemented, it will play a role in disaster reduction in the following ways.

First, the system will act as a first line of defense for earthquake rescue and relief efforts, aiming to reduce the number of casualties resulting from earthquakes. After a destructive earthquake occurs, the EEWS will release early warning information via various channels such as emergency radio, mobile phone, TV, and dedicated terminals. This will provide users in the target area with an early warning within seconds to tens of seconds, allowing for risk mitigation. Within minutes of an earthquake, the system can measure its seismic intensity and quickly analyze the distribution of the hardest-hit areas, providing a scientific basis for decision making and deployment of earthquake relief. On Sept. 5, 2022, the EEWS successfully released early warning information just 6.2 seconds after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook Luding county in southwestern China's Sichuan province, achieving full second-level early warning coverage for a population of 1.5 million in the epicenter and its surrounding areas.

Second, it aims to "escort and protect" emergency response for lifeline projects and major infrastructure. By leveraging earthquake warning terminals, emergency broadcasting, and special communication lines, it provides crucial earthquake warning information for automatic emergency response of major strategic infrastructure such as high-speed railways, nuclear power plants, oil and gas pipeline networks, high dam reservoirs, as well as public infrastructure such as high-rise buildings, underground facilities, and large-scale complexes. This fills the gap in cross-industry earthquake emergency linkage services, promotes the expansion from seismic monitoring to earthquake disaster risk monitoring and prevention, and strengthens whole society's capacity to protect against and mitigate earthquake disasters.

Thirdly, it provides strong support for the progress of Earth science and international cooperation on disaster reduction. Leveraging its advantage in having built the world's largest real-time seismic monitoring station network, it provides high-quality scientific data and information to promote innovative development in real-time seismology, real-time disaster studies, and seismic engineering, thereby contributing to the advancement of Earth science. Currently, China's earthquake warning technology has been applied abroad in the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway in Indonesia. The China Earthquake Administration will continue to utilize its professional technical advantages to better serve the country's overall diplomacy, strengthen international cooperation in protecting against and mitigating earthquake disasters, and work together to reduce seismic disaster risks.

Going forward, the China Earthquake Administration will continue to improve the construction of the Chinese earthquake warning network, constantly enhancing the safety, reliability, and standardization of earthquake warning services, expanding fields and effectiveness of service, and providing even stronger earthquake safety guarantees for high-quality economic and social development. Thank you.

The Poster News APP:

Every year, the MEM allocates over 10 billion yuan yearly in disaster relief funds and materials in collaboration with relevant departments. Such rescue and assistance are particularly crucial during winter and spring rescue periods and the major flood season, where affected people require timely help to overcome their difficulties. My question is: what measures has the MEM taken to ensure an efficient and orderly allocation and distribution of these funds and materials? Thank you.

Wang Daoxi:

Thank you for the question. We efficiently and orderly allocated and distributed disaster relief funds and materials to support and help affected areas, secured the basic living needs of the disaster-stricken people, assisted them in overcoming their difficulties, and made them feel the care and warmth of the Party and the government, which is an important responsibility and mission of the emergency management authorities and an important project of the heart. In recent years, with the strong central government support of disaster relief funds and materials, resettlement and relief work in various affected areas has been generally stable, recovery and reconstruction of damaged houses have been carried out in an orderly manner, and the basic living needs of disaster-stricken people have been properly ensured. To ensure efficient and orderly allocation and distribution of disaster relief funds and materials, the MEM has worked with relevant departments to carry out works focusing on four aspects:

First, we strengthened top-level design and improved relevant policies and systems. In recent years, the MEM has collaborated with the National Development and Reform Commission, finance and grain storage authorities, and other departments to formulate a series of institutional documents such as the Emergency Material Guarantee Plan During the 14th Five-Year Plan, the Interim Measures for Management of the Central Natural Disaster Relief Funds, the Interim Measures for Reserve Management of the Central Emergency Rescue and Disaster Relief Materials, and the Norms for Winter and Spring Assistance Work for Disaster Victims. We have put forward clear requirements for each link, providing a solid institutional guarantee for the efficient and orderly allocation and distribution of disaster relief funds and materials.

Second, we strengthened coordination and promoted the building of an efficient working mechanism. The MEM has established an inter-ministerial disaster consultation and evaluation mechanism, conducting regular and major special consultations for disasters that provide a powerful decision-making basis for allocating central disaster relief funds and materials. We have also worked with the Ministry of Finance to establish a quick pre-allocation and precise verification mechanism for central disaster relief funds allocation and have been constantly improving it. After the national disaster response is activated, we can initiate the pre-allocation of funds according to the evaluated disaster situation, ensuring the allocation efficiency of disaster relief funds. We have promoted the establishment of multi-departmental coordination, military-civilian linkage support, and participation of private actors such as enterprises, social organizations, and volunteers to form a joint force for material guarantee work.

Third, we have stepped up our service capabilities and built a system to ensure provision of disaster-relief supplies. The MEM has been working with grain reserve authorities and other departments to improve the national layout of central disaster-relief supply reserves, significantly increase their size, and continually extend the selection of supplies. We have guided all localities to deploy these reserves at the grassroots level and set up a mechanism for coordinated emergency response with related enterprises. We have employed various methods, such as physical stocks, agreement reserves, and production capacity reserves, to step up emergency response capabilities and ensure the timely supply of materials. By arranging emergency distribution in a holistic way and maintaining an unobstructed distribution channel for the "last mile," we ensure that no household or individual is left behind. 

Fourth, we have increased supervision to safeguard the vital interests of people affected by disasters. All local governments have been instructed to target affected people and fully consider their needs. Comprehensive account books have been completed, and technological means such as big data comparison have been utilized to ensure that disaster-relief materials and funds are distributed to disaster-stricken households and individuals. The management platform for emergency response resources has been developed and promoted to coordinate the allocation of disaster-relief materials and streamline public rescue channels. We have promptly sent working groups to manage disaster-relief funds and materials, and check, instruct and urge local governments to accelerate distribution in a well-regulated way to ensure the care and help from the Party and the government reach disaster-affected people in a timely manner to guarantee their basic living needs.  

Science and Technology Daily:

The number of smart mines in China continues to increase, and the enthusiasm of enterprises to research, develop and construct smart mines is growing. What is your take on the development of smart mines from the perspective of production safety? What measures has the MEM taken to promote their development, and how effective are they?

Huang Jinsheng:

Upgrading mines with smart technologies is a vital measure to better coordinate development and safety as it helps increase production safety and productivity in mines. It is also required for the safe and high-quality development of mines. The MEM and the National Mine Safety Administration attach great importance to the construction of smart mines and have taken the following measures: 

First, we have advanced the top-level design. We coordinated with other related departments to publish documents, including Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Smart Coal Mines, Guidelines for the Robotics Industry for the 14th Five-Year Plan Period (2021-2025), the Guide to Construction of Intelligent Coal Mines and the Notice on Developing the First Batch of Demonstrative Smart Coal Mines.  

Second, we have been improving the standards system. The key research and development catalog of coal mine robots has been published to promote 38 kinds of coal mine robots in five categories. The specification for smart mine data fusion and sharing has been compiled to regulate data collection, transmission, fusion and sharing for smart mine construction. Adhering to a demand-led approach and prioritizing what is urgently needed, we guided related parties to formulate three national standards, 25 industrial standards, and 70 association standards.

Third, more support has been provided through policies and funds. The MEM worked with the Ministry of Finance to include the promotion and application of smart mining equipment and robots within the scope of funding for safe mining production. We coordinated with the Ministry of Science and Technology to support approving the mining robot project within the national key research and development schemes. We joined the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology to designate the mining robot as part of the "Robot+" application initiative.  

Fourth, we are leveraging the demonstrative role of specific initiatives. The MEM supported the construction of a batch of demonstration mines by levels and categories. We also published the first batch of 20 application scenarios for mine robots in areas such as smart tunneling and inspection.

Thanks to the collective efforts of all parties, over 1,300 coalfaces nationwide have adopted smart excavation technologies. Additionally, 694 coal mines contain coalfaces incorporating smart technologies, boosting annual production capacity by 2.1 billion tons. Total investment in smart development is approximately 200 billion yuan, with more than 100 billion yuan already invested. On-site, we have deployed 31 types of mining robots, amounting to 1,000 sets. About 300 self-driving vehicles in open mines have been tested in over 30 open mines. Moreover, 228 non-coal mines have adopted smart technologies across areas including crushing, transportation, water supply and drainage, online monitoring and assessment. The death rate per million tons in smart coal mines stands at 0.024, which is less than 50% of the average level.

In the next step, in accordance with the arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, we will work to reduce manpower and aim for unmanned operations, with a primary focus on integrating digital technologies into coal mining. By advancing smart development, we aspire to transform coal mining to be carried out on the surface, indoors, and flatlands, and with fewer personnel. This approach will accelerate the adoption of smart development in coal mines prone to severe disasters across different regions and further improve the inherent safety of coal mines.

Phoenix Satellite Television:

We have learned that the MEM recently sent joint law enforcement teams to some regions. Can you describe the characteristics of this kind of law enforcement? Thank you.

Song Yuanming:

Thanks to this reporter for your question. Around the May Day Holiday this year, the Party Committee of the MEM, drawing lessons from major and serious accidents that occurred recently, made the decision to send joint law enforcement teams to some regions to carry out coordinated law enforcement. We dispatched six teams in two batches to make unannounced visits and investigations to 96 enterprises and units across 28 districts in six provinces. A group of major risks and problems were identified and transferred immediately to local regulatory authorities to be placed on file for investigation and prosecution. Local governments have also been urged to learn from their experience. All these have formed a powerful deterrent and accelerated the launch of the special national campaign to identify and address major accident hazards.

This campaign focuses primarily on the following features:

First, joint law enforcement has been carried out. The MEM and the National Fire and Rescue Administration have collaborated to form joint law enforcement teams. They have selected key personnel at the community level who are skilled in both workplace safety and firefighting law enforcement. The teams visit enterprises and utilize both the Law on Workplace Safety and the Fire Protection Law as tools for law enforcement. They also encourage local governments to enforce punishments in accordance with articles of the law, enhancing the deterrent effect of law enforcement.

Second, local authorities have followed the lead of the MEM. When building joint law enforcement teams, the MEM has required all provinces to take coordinated steps simultaneously. According to statistics, departments of emergency management and fire and rescue institutions at all levels have also followed the lead of the MEM and built 13,000 teams to carry out joint law enforcement in different regions.

Third, significant attention has been paid to major risks and individuals. A primary focus has been given to the major safety hazards of enterprises and on the individuals who are chiefly responsible for the oversight of these enterprises. These major safety hazards include violations of regulations in electro-gas and electric welding, and operations without proper licensing, disorganized safety management of outsourcing and rental services, as well as congestion and obstruction of emergency exits and evacuation passages. After detecting these problems, investigations have been initiated to trace back to the individuals who hold principal responsibilities within these enterprises, aiming to understand why they failed to perform their legal obligations concerning workplace safety. After the unannounced visits, local governments punished both 52 enterprises and the individuals in charge, who are primarily accountable for their enterprises. Additionally, eight individuals with direct liability have been transfered to public security organs and in administrative detention..

Fourth, warnings have been amplified by publicly exposing cases. The process of unannounced investigations and visits has been documented through video recordings. Six feature-length movies have been released on the official website and social media platforms of the MEM. This has attracted wide attention and media attention, serving as a strong signal to society that workplace safety law enforcement is underway.

The MEM will continue to dispatch joint law enforcement teams to various regions for overt and covert inspections. The special national campaign has now entered a stage where enterprises conduct self-examination and rectify their own problems. The unannounced visits will examine whether enterprises know about the five key tasks, whether their major executives have studied the criteria for major accident hazard identification, and whether these hazards have been identified and addressed in accordance with these criteria. Enterprises that fail in the above inspections will be listed as key subjects of strict law enforcement. Meanwhile, for governments of the regions where enterprises are identified with problems, we will send warnings or letters to urge rectifications in the name of the Office of the Work Safety Committee of the State Council. By adopting a multifaceted approach, including more unannounced visits and sending warnings and letters urging rectification, we will address difficult problems in workplace safety where local governments and enterprises fail to fulfill their safety obligations. The ultimate goal is to enhance the efficiency of identifying and addressing potential safety hazards.

Thank you.

Chen Wenjun:

The last question, please.

China News Service:

According to the report to the 20th CPC National Congress, China has entered a period of development in which strategic opportunities, risks, and challenges are concurrent, and uncertainties and unforeseen factors are rising. How do you view the situation and challenges facing China's emergency management? Thank you.

Wang Xiangxi:

Thanks to the reporter. I will take this question. Although generally stable, the situation is still grave and complex concerning workplace safety and disaster prevention and relief. Various “black swan” and “gray rhino” events may occur at any time. Emergency management faces severe challenges.

From a work safety perspective, the main challenges stem from the entanglement and overlap of existing and emerging risks. China's economy has achieved the miracle of sustained and stable growth after decades of rapid industrialization and urbanization. However, many industries have also accumulated a significant number of risks. For example, our energy structure relies heavily on coal, with over 4,400 coal mines, of which more than one-third are prone to gas outbursts or have high gas levels, totaling over 1,500 mines. There are over 30,000 non-coal mines, with over 80% being small mines with poor safety capabilities. Our chemical industry, which accounts for 40% of global output, comprises over 11,000 production enterprises, nearly 7,000 of which have major hazardous sources. Additionally, we have over 900,000 residential high-rise buildings, ranking first globally. The gas pipeline network has over 70,000 kilometers of pipes that have been in service for over 20 years. There are 22,000 municipal bridges that have exceeded 30 years of service, with many aging bridges requiring repairs and renovations. As time passes, many risk hazards have entered a period of concentrated exposure. Furthermore, new risks are also increasing significantly with the emergence of new energy forms such as energy storage power stations, offshore wind power, hydrogen energy, and glass walkways. For instance, there are nearly 500 chemical energy storage power stations in China, many of which are located in urban areas, which puts considerable pressure on safety supervision.

From the perspective of disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief, the challenges mainly arise from the high frequency and prevalence of natural disasters, a fundamental characteristic of China. China is among the countries most severely affected by natural disasters, characterized by a wide range of disaster types, extensive geographical distribution, high frequency of occurrence, and substantial losses. In 2022 China witnessed a historical low in the losses caused by natural disasters. Even so, the number of affected population exceeded 110 million, with direct losses of nearly 240 billion yuan. China is located between the circum-Pacific seismic belt and the Eurasian seismic belt, resulting in frequent seismic activities. As urbanization accelerates, the potential for unimaginable consequences increases in the event of a major earthquake, given the number of high-rise buildings, elevated bridges, urban subways, underground pipe networks, and hazardous chemical production enterprises. Therefore, the pressure to prevent major earthquakes is constantly increasing. With global climate warming, there has been a noticeable increase in extreme weather events, with heavy rainfall leading to floods, urban waterlogging, and especially mountain torrents, landslides, and mudslides, which can threaten people's lives and property at any time. Due to strengthened ecological civilization construction, the forest coverage rate has been continuously improving, but the pressure to prevent and control forest and grassland fires has also been increasing.

In the face of these risks and challenges, we will thoroughly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, unwaveringly adhere to the concept of overall national security, and fulfill our responsibilities with a strong sense of duty. We must proactively identify and respond to changes, address weaknesses, plug loopholes, and eliminate hidden dangers. We will implement and refine various preventive and responsive measures to continuously improve public safety management. Thank you.

Chen Wenjun: 

Thank you, Mr. Wang. Thanks to all the speakers and journalists for your participation. Today's press conference concludes here. Goodbye!

Translated and edited by Wang Yiming, Zhu Bochen, Wang Qian, Guo Yiming, Yang Xi, Cui Can, Liu Sitong, Gong Yingchun, Yuan Fang, Liu Caiyi, Zhou Jing, Yan Bin, Wang Wei, Wang Yanfang, Zhang Junmian, Xu Kailin, Ma Yujia, Xiang Bin, Li Huiru, Tom Arnsten, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.