Southwest China's Guizhou Province plans to invest 30 million yuan (about 3.6 million US dollars) this year to strengthen production safety, according to sources with provincial administration of work safety.

The money will be mainly spent on heightening safety in state-owned coal mines in the province. Also work on an emergency command center will be organized to ensure quick rescue operations and disaster relief work.

The provincial government allotted 20 million yuan (about 2.4 million US dollars) in improving production safety at the beginning of 2005 and then decided to add another 10 million yuan (about 1.2 million US dollars), the sources said.

All levels of government must be responsible for the safety of coal mines in their jurisdiction and are required to examine and remove the hidden dangers in the mines.

Xinhua