The checks will mainly focus on setting up and carrying out safety regulations, investigating previous accidents, punishing those responsible and closing unsafe small mines and factories.

About 120 ministerial officials will be split into 14 groups who will conduct the checks nationwide.

Major targets are coal mines, dangerous chemicals, explosives for civil use, fireworks, road transport, fire prevention in public places, civil aviation, railways, water transport, and oil, petrochemicals, power and weapons industries.

Several deadly accidents since April have spurred the checks by the State Economic and Trade Commission, the State Administration of Production Safety Supervision and Management and other ministries.

"All localities, departments and work units should be fully aware of the importance of safety in production, and in the interests of maintaining the momentum of reform, development and social stability, should reinforce safety in production," the government said in a circular yesterday.

In a separate development, families of those drowned in a coal mine water leak in Yuncheng, North China's Shanxi Province, on May 4 will receive 60,000 yuan (US$7,200) each in compensation.

Yuncheng authorities had promised to pay just 20,000 yuan (US$2,400) in compensation, but that amount was disputed by authorities from Yunxi County in Central China's Hubei Province, from where 14 of the 21 victims had come.

So far, 17 bodies have been recovered. Relief workers are still searching for the others.

Crews are also looking for survivors of a coal pit gas explosion in Beipiao in Northeast China's Liaoning Province. Seven people have survived.

(China Daily June 1, 2002)