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Beijing Introduces Spokesperson System

The Beijing Municipal Administration for Production Safety Supervision has called for the establishment of a spokesperson system to deal with major accidents involving the public safety to improve the transparency in safety work.

The spokesperson system, officially instituted on September 6 in the national capital, will result in a more transparent public safety administration and more information will be released through authoritative sources more quickly, according to a notice issued by the Beijing Municipal Administration for Production Safety Supervision.

The content of information will include a brief introduction of the work unit where an accident occurs, the time and venue of an accident, casualties and losses, and rescue efforts and progress.

On-the-spot news briefings are also likely to be held under the condition that rescue work should not be interfered with, the notice said.

Beijing had a reported 1,016 traffic accidents, accidents of production safety and fires by August 31, involving 1,152 people who were killed, according to the Municipal Administration for Production Safety Supervision.

The number of accidents is down by 5.5 percent and the death toll is down by 2.3 percent compared to 2003.