China is entering a period of concentrated exposure to potential risks

Thread Content

On June 8, at the series of press conferences themed “Insights from Authorities on the New Beginning,” Wang Xiangxi, Minister of Emergency Management, said that the overall situation regarding work safety and disaster prevention and mitigation in China is stable at present, but the challenges remain severe and complex. Various \"black swan\" and \"gray rhino\" events could occur at any time, posing serious challenges to emergency management efforts. 　　“From the perspective of safe production, the challenges mainly stem from the combination of existing risks and new risks. ”Wang Xiangxi said that thanks to decades of rapid industrialization and urbanization, China’s economy has achieved the miracle of sustained stable growth, but many industries have also accumulated numerous potential risks. For example, China’s energy structure is dominated by coal. There are currently over 4,400 coal mining enterprises, more than one-third of which are mines with gas outbursts or high gas concentrations – that number is around 1,500. There are also over 30,000 non-coal mines, and more than 80% of these are small mines with poor safety capabilities. The chemical industry accounts for 40% of the world’s production value; there are currently over 11,000 enterprises in this sector, with nearly 7,000 of them having major hazard sources. In terms of high-rise buildings, there are over 70,000 kilometers of gas pipeline networks that are more than 20 years old. Over time, many potential risks enter a period of concentrated exposure. Furthermore, with the continuous emergence of new energy sectors such as energy storage stations, offshore wind power, hydrogen energy, and glass walkways, new risks are also on the rise in large numbers. There are nearly 500 chemical energy storage power stations across the country, many of which are located in urban areas, which places significant pressure on safety supervision. 　　Wang Xiangxi said that in terms of disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief, the main challenges stem from the fact that natural disasters occur frequently in China due to its national conditions. Last year, the losses caused by natural disasters in our country were the lowest on record; yet the number of people affected still reached over 110 million, with direct losses amounting to nearly 240 billion yuan. Our country is located between the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Eurasian Seismic Belt, and as urbanization accelerates, the pressure to prevent earthquakes continues to increase. 　　He pointed out that in the face of these risks and challenges, the emergency management department will unswervingly adhere to the overall concept of **safety, and with a sense of responsibility that demands constant vigilance, it will earnestly fulfill its duties and responsibilities. It is necessary to proactively identify changes, adapt to them, and strive to address weaknesses, close loopholes, and eliminate potential hazards, while implementing various preventive and response measures in a thorough manner to continuously improve the level of public safety governance.