Chinese premier stresses stronger disaster prevention, emergency response

Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday stressed the need to continue to strengthen China's capabilities in disaster prevention, mitigation and relief to safeguard people's lives and property.

Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Tangshan, north China's Hebei Province.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Tangshan Earthquake, a magnitude-7.8 quake that struck the city on July 28, 1976, taking the lives of more than 240,000 people and destroying virtually all buildings in the city.

When visiting the Tangshan Earthquake Memorial Park, Li laid a flower basket in memory of those who lost their lives in the earthquake and the heroes who died in the disaster relief efforts, and bowed three times before the memorial wall.

Over the past five decades, the people of Tangshan have rebuilt a modern city from the ruins, Li said. As Tangshan embarks on a new stage of development, he urged the city to seize the opportunities arising from the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, leverage its unique strengths, and make the heroic city an even better place.

At a paraplegic rehabilitation center, Li urged efforts to continue improving medical rehabilitation and daily care for people left paraplegic by the earthquake and improve support for people with disabilities.

During a visit to a rescue base of a state-owned engineering rescue force, Li stressed the need to remain on constant alert, strengthen equipment and technological support for emergency response, and improve the public's awareness and capacity for disaster prevention.

Noting that China is now in the critical flood control period from late July to early August, Li urged relevant departments to fully implement their responsibilities, strengthen monitoring and early warning, ensure adequate emergency supplies and equipment, and respond promptly in a scientific and orderly manner when disasters occur.