Coalmine accidents in China killed 2,900 people in the first eight months of the year, according to the country's State Administration of Work Safety (SAWS).

The death toll is down by 993, or 25.5 percent, on the same period of last year, according to SAWS's meeting on coalmine gas accident prevention held in the eastern city of Nanchang on Friday.

Wu Yin, an official involved in coalmine accident prevention, said that 1,824 colliery accidents were recorded during the eight-month period, down 13.6 percent year on year.

Even if the number of coalmine accidents has declined, they are still the biggest threat to coal mine safety, said Wu, also a senior energy official at the National Development and Reform Commission.

"China will invest 3 billion yuan (US$375 million) instate bonds to improve coal mine safety by the end of 2006."

He added that the funds would focus on improving ventilation systems and coalmine gas utilization facilities at major state-owned coalmines as well as strengthening safety measures at medium- and small-sized ones.

In 2005, 5,986 people were killed in 3,341 coalmine accidents in China.

(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2006)