The country's top emergency watchdog vowed to keep reducing the number of accidents and casualties in the workplace, as well as those caused by natural disasters, by enhancing law enforcement, scientific research and talent cultivation.

Huang Ming, Party chief of the Ministry of Emergency Management, made the comment during the ministry's two-day annual work conference that concluded on Jan 7. He also stressed that "safety supervision cannot be relaxed in the name of optimizing the business environment."

The ministry will resolutely roll out measures to address permissive and slack law enforcement, Huang noted.

"Enterprises' legal representatives and management teams should be closely watched, and punishment will be resolutely imposed for any violations," he said.

Huang also said the ministry will attach even greater importance to prevent and defuse major safety risks to ensure that the number of accidents will continuously decrease.

According to the ministry, the number of workplace accidents declined by 18.3 percent year-on-year in 2019, and the death toll dropped by 17.1 percent. The country also saw fewer major accidents that claimed more than three lives.

Regarding natural disasters, the number of people left dead or missing in 2019 was 25 percent less than the average number from 2014 to 2018.

"The national comprehensive rescue teams and other professional teams for workplace and earthquake rescue should be ready for battle all the time," Huang said. "In addition, to enhance rescue capability and flexibility, these teams should also make efforts to respond even quicker."

The ministry, which was established in April 2018, created 27 rescue teams that specialize in operations in earthquake-stricken and mountainous areas or have expertise in water and air rescue across the country in 2019. Six teams that could implement cross-border missions on forest and prairie fire control have been ready to accept tasks, the ministry said.

It said the national fire and rescue teams rescued 158,000 people and evacuated another 497,000 in these accidents. The value of the property saved by the teams stood at 24.2 billion yuan ($3.5 billion).

Huang also disclosed that the ministry will enhance scientific research and talent cultivation as part of its efforts to establish an efficient national emergency response system.

The ministry launched a special research institute on natural disaster prevention and control on Dec 30. It's the first national institute of its kind, according to the ministry.

In the latest institutional reshuffle, the ministry was established to take over the responsibilities of the former State Administration of Work Safety, along with functions from other ministries including firefighting from the Ministry of Public Security and disaster relief from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.