China to hold nationwide safety overhaul

China will carry out a three-month nationwide safety overhaul with a focus on high-risk sectors and labor-intensive factories, according to a circular released by the State Council. The overhaul comes after a string of deadly accidents, including a fire in a poultry plant in northeast China's Jilin Province killing 121, and a bus fire in the eastern Chinese city of Xiamen leaving 47 dead. Safety checks, running until late September, will cover all the sectors while focusing on coal mining, chemical industries, public transport, construction sites and machinery manufacturing, according to the circular published by the Chinese government on Monday. Labor-intensive factories and areas with dense populations like schools, hospitals, entertainment venues and airports will be the focus of the overhaul, said the circular. Through the safety checks, the country will look to eliminate potential hazards, close down illegal production and enhance safety awareness, said the circular.