China’s Communist Party Takes Heavy Steps to Prevent “Accidents” and Create a Spectacular World Amidst Internal and External Difficulties

In response to China’s recent spate of major safety accidents, authorities in Beijing have given strict orders to local governments to remove safety hazards and warned that those responsible for major accidents should be severely punished.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, who is also head of the State Council’s safety committee, ordered safety inspections of facilities where such accidents could occur to “create a safe and stable environment for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party” at a national production safety conference on Thursday (June 17).

An official statement issued after the meeting pointed out that the recent spate of safety accidents, the production safety “situation is grim”, requiring governments at all levels to “resolutely curb serious accidents, in-depth implementation of chemical and mining, gas pipelines, industrial parks, transportation of dangerous chemicals, road safety and other areas of safety improvement The government should “resolutely curb heavy accidents, in-depth safety improvement in chemical and mining, gas pipelines, industrial parks, transportation of dangerous chemicals, road traffic safety and other areas, comprehensive investigation and treatment of all kinds of major risks and hidden dangers.”

The statement also proposed that in the prevention of safety accidents at the same time also to strengthen the control of society, to “strengthen social control, and resolutely prevent the occurrence of extreme violence.”

Beijing requires that it will “crack down on all kinds of violations, serious accident investigation and accountability in accordance with the law.”

On June 10, 13 people were trapped in an iron ore mine in Dai County, Shanxi Province, after a water seepage accident.

On April 28, the day after Xi Jinping’s visit to Guangxi, a knife-wielding murder case occurred in a kindergarten in Yulin Beiliu, Guangxi, killing and injuring 18 people, and on April 30, another knife-wielding bloodbath occurred in Guiping, Guangxi, in which two children had their throats slit.

After the Shiyan explosion, Xi Jinping had said the lesson was profound and accountability must be pursued seriously.

Observers say Beijing is reporting and handling these catastrophic accidents in such a high profile because Xi does not want the upcoming Communist Party centennial celebrations to be disrupted by such negative news. According to the Communist Party’s practice, during major festivals, such as the Party, National Day or the “two sessions,” the top priority of all levels of government is to maintain stability and create an environment of national peace and prosperity.

In recent times, China has been severely condemned by the international community over Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and the South China Sea. Beijing’s violations of human rights, suppression of democratic forces and reneging on its own commitments on these issues have caused a growing number of countries to resent them and to isolate itself as never before.