China vows greater efforts to promote work safety

China on Tuesday pledged greater efforts to promote work safety following a three-month nationwide workplace safety campaign which ended recently.

"Development at the expense of human life is a red line we should never cross," said State Councilor Wang Yong during an inspection tour from Sunday to Tuesday in Wuhan in China's central Hubei Province.

"We shall develop a long-term work safety mechanism that is effective in preventing major accidents," he added.

China launched a nationwide campaign to boost work safety between June and September after a series of deadly accidents exposed deficiencies in safety supervision and management.

The tragedies included a fire at a poultry factory on June 3 in northeast China's Jilin Province, which claimed 121 lives and injured 76.

"Hidden dangers and loopholes were found and attended to during the three-month overhaul, which has led to a noticeable decline in the number of accidents," Wang said.

Wang urged tighter supervision of workplace safety through the experience gained during the campaign.

He also called for an improved official accountability system.