Xi demands efforts to improve disaster prevention

BEIJING. — Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on Wednesday called for efforts to improve the country’s ability to safeguard against natural disasters, and fully launch the planning and construction of the Sichuan-Tibet railway.

Xi, also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the third meeting of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs. He is also head of the committee.

“As a stronger capability of safeguarding against natural disasters concerns the economy and people’s livelihood, China will set up an efficient and scientific system and improve the capability of the whole society in a bid to protect people’s lives and property and national security,” Xi said when addressing the meeting.

Xi also highlighted the SichuanTibet railway, saying it was of profound significance for the country’s long-term stability and the development of Tibet.

Premier Li Keqiang, Wang Huning, a member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and Vice Premier Han Zheng attended the meeting.

As one of the most disasterprone countries in the world, China has attached great importance to the matter and made remarkable progress, the meeting said. But its overall capability to respond to such extreme conditions is still relatively weak, and more should be done.

To fix the short link, China will work to build a coordinated disaster-responding system, adopt a people-centered approach, give priority to the environment, try its best to minimise the aftermath, propel reforms and innovation to modernise its capability, and continue international cooperation, according to the meeting.