State Councilor Wang Yong vowed greater efforts to upgrade safety features and operational procedures for oil and gas pipelines.

Wang made the remarks while addressing the second meeting of the State Council’s leading group in charge of pipeline safety on March 31.

He said he appreciated the progress already made in enhancing pipeline safety, but noted that the remaining challenges will require even greater efforts.

The State Councilor stressed that overall supervision should be enhanced and the companies that own and run the pipelines should take full responsibility for operational safety. This also includes the allocation of funds where needed, the application of standard regulations and heavy penalties imposed for those guilty of breaching or discarding safety regulations.

Wang said the year’s focus will be on tackling the major hidden dangers and risks in enclosed spaces and improving safety features. More cooperation across different departments will ensure that the risk of major accidents is greatly reduced and that overall safety levels will be improved.