China's State Council reiterated its call for local governments
to implement tighter public security and emergency response
measures in a circular released on Tuesday, on the eve of the
one-year Olympic countdown.
Urban apartment complexes are encouraged to install security
cameras but it is not a compulsory measure and the cost will be
borne by the estate management companies.
The circular told school authorities to improve campus security
to ensure student safety and it urged local governments in both
rural and urban areas to step up measures on epidemic
prevention.
"The country will take two or three years to stretch an
emergency response network horizontally to cover the entire
territory and vertically to reach the grassroots level," the
circular said.
The circular told all villages, communities, enterprises and
institutions to complete "feasible emergency plans" and stage
emergency drills before the end of 2008 and to set up emergency
response teams.
Authorities concerned should work out a series of disaster
relief laws, insurance, compensation, public fund and donation
systems, it said, adding both urban and rural areas should improve
fire control facilities, medical equipment and shelters.
It asked members of the public to "increase their security
awareness and self-rescue skills".
The draft emergency response law submitted to China's top
legislature in June defines "emergencies" as industrial accidents,
natural disasters, and health and public security crises.
(Xinhua News Agency August 8, 2007)