As majority of some 8,000 existing mines in China are confronted with a growing threat for exhaustion of resources, measures should be taken to revive the future prospects of these mines and the cities that hinge on them, a member of China's top political advisory body said Monday.

Of the more than 8,000 existing mines, resources in some 400 have been dried up and two thirds of them have entered their "middle and advanced ages," said Su Liqing, also vice president of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, at a plenary meeting of the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

According to Su, China has 118 cities or counties dependent on the mining industry, over 30 of which are running out of their precious resources. A series of social problems have cropped up in some of these cities due to the lack of substitute industries.

"There are a lot of layoffs and ensuing social security problems, including pensions for the retired workers and issues involving medical expenses, mining injuries and the bankruptcy of mines," acknowledged Su.

He suggested granting tax incentives to help cities on the verge of exhausting mineral resources to develop substitute industries.

In addition, the central government should also allocate more money to cope with protruding problems in the lives of local people in these areas, Su said.

(Xinhua News Agency March 8, 2005)