The Ministry of Emergency Management advances the modernization of emergency management in four areas

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On June 8, the Information Office of the State Council held a series of themed press conferences under the title “Authorities Speak on the New Beginnings” to provide information on “implementing the Party’s major strategic decisions and plans to modernize the emergency management system and capabilities”. 　　Wang Xiangxi, Minister of Emergency Management, said that the Party’s *report dedicates a section to making arrangements for improving the level of public safety governance, and sets clear requirements for emergency management work. The Ministry of Emergency Management regards studying, publicizing, and implementing the Party’s relevant guidelines as its top political task, making thorough efforts to carry out these initiatives. It strives to provide high-level safety guarantees for high-quality development, and to use a new security framework to support a new pattern of development. Specifically, four main areas of work were focused on. 　　First, focus on improving the system. Efforts should be focused on improving the responsibility system, optimizing command mechanisms, enhancing the legal framework, and strengthening emergency management at the grassroots level. For example, to address the issue of difficulties in implementing responsibilities, efforts are being made to ensure that local authorities establish clear lists of responsibilities for party and government leaders regarding work safety as well as disaster prevention and mitigation. The regulatory responsibilities of various departments under the principle of \"three responsibilities and three musts\" are being refined, and the responsibilities of the relevant authorities are clearly defined in order to address potential risks associated with new business models and materials. Additionally, the implementation of corporate responsibilities is being strengthened, with assessments of safety management capabilities conducted for key executives and safety officers in high-risk industries, including central state-owned enterprises, local state-owned enterprises, and private enterprises. For areas and enterprises with a high incidence of accidents, various measures such as warning talks, public announcements, on-site inspections, and media coverage are also employed to ensure that responsibilities are fulfilled. 　　Second, focus on prevention first. In line with the requirement to \"shift the public safety governance model toward proactive prevention,\" the focus of work has shifted more towards preventive measures, with an emphasis on controlling safety risks at their source, implementing ongoing monitoring and early warning systems, and employing engineering solutions, in order to actively create a safe environment conducive to development. At present, online monitoring has been implemented nationwide for more than 6,900 hazardous chemical enterprises that represent major sources of danger, 3,400 coal mines, and 2,400 tailing ponds of grade three or higher; automatic alarms are triggered in case of any abnormalities, enabling timely response and handling. 　　Third, focus on targeted special rectification. Since the beginning of this year, the number of work safety accidents and deaths has continued to decline, but serious and major accidents have seen a resurgence. The Ministry of Emergency Management has launched the 2023 Campaign for Special Inspections and Rectifications of Major Accident Hazards across the country; meanwhile, by drawing lessons from past accidents, it is carrying out targeted rectifications for prominent issues related to mine safety, fire safety, and hazardous chemicals safety. 　　Fourth, focus on improving capabilities. In line with the requirement to \"improve the capacity for disaster prevention, mitigation, relief, and response to major sudden public incidents,\" key projects for natural disaster prevention and control continue to be implemented, in order to establish an emergency rescue force system with Chinese characteristics that is led by comprehensive fire and rescue teams, supplemented by professional rescue teams, reinforced by military emergency forces, and assisted by community-based resources. Currently, all 6 **regional rescue centers have begun operations.