All state-owned mining enterprises have bought industrial injury insurance in coal-rich provinces such as central China's Shanxi, Henan and Hebei, a spokesman of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MLSS) said Tuesday.

"We are also urging private coal mine owners to pay the premium for their workers," Hu Xiaoyi, the spokesman with the MLSS, told a press conference Tuesday, saying that according to the Regulations Concerning Insurance for Work-related Injuries, all these fees should be paid by business owners.

At a seminar held in July, several related departments studied the policies for the purchase of industrial insurance for coal mine explorers, and worked to update the insurance regulations to ensure coal mine safety.

Statistics with the MLSS indicate that by end of September, 78.1 million people had industrial injury insurance, registering an increase of 9.65 million compared to 2004.

In recent years, the government has issued a series of regulations and measures to improve coal mine safety.

However, things have remained grim. From January to September this year, the total number of coal mine accidents amounted to 2,337, claiming 4,228 lives. Up to October 10, there were 43 major accidents that killed more than 10 people each this year.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2005)