During his New Year visit to Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Premier Wen Jiabao urged that safety must be improved this year to avoid mining accidents. The premier even shed tears with the family of a dead miner as he listened to their memories of the deceased. Below are excerpts of comments incited by this moving scene.

Beijing News: The public felt touched when seeing Premier Wen Jiabao shedding tears during his visit to Chen jiashan Coal Mine, Tongchuan, in Shaanxi Province on January 1. The most serious coal mine accident in the past 44 years took place in Tongchuan on November 28 last year, and claimed 166 lives.

Wen conveyed his sympathy for those who have suffered from accidents. His tears were not only for the victims of the Tongchuan coal mine disaster, but also for other lives lost in the country's frequent coal mine accidents caused by low-level human error.

Putting the tears of the premier aside, the public expects State management of the coal mines to improve.

The human causes behind the accidents have been strongly denounced. It is hoped the government can better regulate the system to curb such incidents.

www.rednet.com.cn: During his new year visit to the families of victims who died in the Chenjiashan Coal Mine gas explosion, Premier Wen Jiabao shed doleful tears for those who lost their beloved relatives. His tears moistened this afflicted land and warmed the hearts of all Chinese, who can now feel cared for and cherished by the government.

From Premier Wen's tears, we see how in touch he is with the feelings of the nation. His dining with on-duty miners in a coal shaft about 1,300 metres underground, his tears for the boy who lost his father in a major coal mine accident and his pledge to help poor miners overcome any adversity, all demonstrated his love for the people and his low-profile manner.

From Premier Wen's tears, we see his willingness to become close to grass-roots communities. He vows to bear all tribulations together with the people and he bravely shoulders the responsibility of the successive coal mine disasters.

From Premier Wen's tears, we see his resolution and expectations. He stressed the importance of improving coal mine safety and went deep into a mine for an inspection. His words and deeds displayed the nation's firm stance on promoting production safety.

Showing more concern for the grievances of common people and sharing their trials are what government officials should learn from Premier Wen.

An Internet-user who posted his or her opinion on www.cctv.com: Premier Wen's tears urge government officials at all levels to put people's lives and safety at the forefront of their minds.

First, the government should take good care of the families and children of the dead miners.

A total of 166 miners died in the Chenjiashan Coal Mine disaster on November 28. Every one of the dead was the backbone of their families. Their deaths have brought great difficulties to their loved ones. The premier asked accompanying local officials to "do whatever you can" to guarantee the basic livelihoods of the victims' families and help them treat their illnesses. This shows the central government's great concern for the families of the dead.

Second, the government should take better care of the coal miners.

At present there are more than 600 key State mines, 2,600 provincial mines and 22,000 township or private mines in China. Officials at all levels should care for the safety and lives of the workers on the front line. Coal is the major source of energy in China. The coal miners who contribute so much to the national economy deserve the respect of society as a whole.

Third, work safety should be highly valued. Coal mine accidents have been commonplace in recent years. The lack of work safety, poor management and the corruption of officials have led to this frequency. The vice-director of the work safety committee of the State Council Zhang Baoming said that almost every accident is associated with corruption. The premier has urged local officials to find the causes of the accidents and seriously punish those responsible.

He also asked them to take effective measures to improve the production safety of coal mines. The mining industry is a high-risk sector. The life and safety of every miner should be cherished.

The premier's act has shown the central government's determination to improve work safety and care for the miners and their families. Local governments and officials should take prompt action.

Beijing Youth Daily: Premier Wen's tears showed his affection for the public and his worries about the country's coal mine accidents.

As a giant producer of coal, China is also a huge consumer of the resource and at the same time, is plagued with frequent coal mine accidents. For example, the death rate for every million tons of coal produced in China is 100 times that of the United States and 30 times that of South Africa.

For some, these might just be figures, but for miners working underground and their families, these statistics serve to remind them of death, hurt and sorrow. The figures show the high price the country has had to pay for its rapid economic growth.

The government has paid great attention to the control and prevention of coal mine accidents. Every time a serious accident takes place, the central government issues instructions, related officials at all levels engage themselves in dealing with the accidents, blame is then laid and officials resign or are punished. But the accidents keep happening.

Before the Chenjiashan Coal Mine accident, private coal mines were believed to hide many security problems and that State-owned mines were safer. But at the end of last year, several serious accidents took place in State-owned coal mines. The alarm bells had sounded, both privately-run and State-owned mines lacked security assurances. This was due to backward technology and management, and poorly qualified practitioners of the coal mine industry.

Prevention of coal mine accidents and strengthening safety require a huge input into equipment and management.

The country's economic development urgently demands huge amounts of coal. And the security problems of coal mines can not be solved overnight. Taking this into consideration, it is not difficult to understand the premier's mood. Officials in charge of the mines should learn from his tears.

(China Daily January 7, 2005)