Explainer: China's 4-tier emergency response system

When you hear about a major event in China, you'll often hear official media outlets refer to a four-tiered emergency system. This framework, updated in a new national plan in February, helps the government coordinate its response to emergencies from floods to public health crises.

The system is designed to be comprehensive, covering four types of emergencies:

- Natural disasters like floods, earthquakes and forest fires

- Accidents like industrial accidents and transportation incidents

- Public health events like epidemics and food safety incidents

- Public security events like major criminal cases

The plan details two distinct four-level systems: one for pre-event alerts and one for post-event responses.

Emergency alerts: the color-coded warning system

For a foreseeable threat, such as an approaching storm or an emerging disease outbreak, China uses a four-level alert system with color codes. This is designed to warn the public and prepare for an event before it happens.

Level I (Red): The most severe alert, indicating an imminent and highly dangerous threat.

Level II (Orange): A serious threat is likely.

Level III (Yellow): A significant threat is possible.

Level IV (Blue): A general threat is possible.

When an alert is activated, local governments can take preventive measures, from deploying emergency teams to closing off certain areas or stopping public activities to ensure public safety.

Emergency response: the four-tiered action plan

Once an event has occurred, the government can activate a four-tier emergency response system. These levels are determined by the event's severity, from highest (Level I) to lowest (Level IV), with each level dictating who is in charge of the response.

For "particularly major" or "major" events, the provincial government where the incident occurred takes the lead. The central government steps in to direct the most serious events, even creating a new command body if necessary.

"Larger" events are led by municipal governments, while "general" events are handled by county governments.

This clear hierarchy ensures that every emergency is managed by the appropriate level of authority, allowing for a swift and coordinated allocation of resources to save lives and minimize damage.