The State Council, China's cabinet, issued recently a circular urging the healthy development of coal industry in order to improve coal safety production.

The circular calls for national supervision, local management and enterprises' responsibility.

The Chinese authorities will further improve the efficiency of coal production supervision, intensify coal safety inspection as well as promote coal security license system, according to the circular.

The circular says that coal mine officials are required to go to the mines for work safety supervision.

It also demands bigger investment in the coal mines, from the central and local governments as well as enterprises. All coal mines should allocate a certain amount of money as production security fees. The government should arrange certain money to support coal technological improvement.

The circular calls for improvement of gas prevention technology, and the leadership and coordination to prevent gas accidents. It urges a precaution and supervision system should be established to prevent big gas accidents.

(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2005)