A senior official at the Ministry of Civil Affairs says that China's natural disaster emergency system has been further strengthened.

He revealed that 80 percent of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and over 90 percent of counties have set up mechanisms to tackle natural disasters.

China has also set up a network which is ready to deliver material aid to known disaster-prone areas.

The Chinese government invested more than 3 billion yuan, or US$360 million, in reconstruction and aid for people in disaster-stricken regions last year.

(CRI January 6, 2005)