Li Yizhong, director of the National Bureau of Production Safety Supervision and Administration, ordered approximately 7,000 unsafe coal mines across the country to be closed down by the end of this year, the Shanghai Securities News reported on Tuesday.

China now has 5,290 coal mines that have not applied for safe production licenses and 2,000 coal mines that have not passed examinations by regulators, Li was quoted as saying at a meeting on coal mine safe production.

The coal mines, which are located in 26 provincial areas, must be closed down eternally with mining installments utterly demolished, he said.

Whether Chinese coal production can be safe in the latter half of this year hinges on the fundamental solution of these unqualified and unauthorized coal mines, he said.

Hundreds of small coal mines were ordered to be closed down or to suspend operations in the past two years for failing to meet official safety work standards.

Many, however, have resumed operations without government approval.

(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2005)