China can attain high economic growth at low rate of occupational injury, although China is in transiting from an agricultural society to an industrial one, says John L. Henshaw, US Assistant Secretary of Labour for Occupational Safety and Health, who just concluded his visit to China.

Mr. Henshaw visits China to further implement the Sino-US cooperation agreement on safe production signed by Elaine Chao, Secretary of US Dapartment of Labor in this June. He also paid visit to Shanghai and Qingdao.

"In regard to safe production, China is similar to the situation in US in terms of transition from an agricultural society to industrial society dozens of years ago. But I think China can do better by applying advanced technology. It is capable of lowering the rate of occupational injury while maintaining rapid economic growth."

China is experiencing a period featuring high occurrence rate of occupational injury. About 500, 000 enterprises in China are suffering from occupational injury, and a total of 7.1 million people are suffering from occupational diseases annually. Poisoning, in particular, grows more and more serious. The death rate of poisoning patients has increased from 15 percent to above 20 percent. But Mr. Henshow says he is very confident that China can successfully handle the high occurrence of occupational disease.

By People's Daily Online