Disaster prevention and mitigation is the bottom line for people’s happiness, in which we should put more efforts, said State Councilor Wang Yong at a symposium on promoting calamity prevention and alleviation in Beijing on May 24.

Wang said that life and security take the most priority. To shield against disasters, a managing mechanism should be established, with institution reform pushed forward.

There should also be a coordinating mechanism led by the Party and managed by the government, while welcoming participation from social forces and markets, he said.

In addition, weaknesses in disaster prevention and mitigation need more attention.

He also urged improving the risk monitoring and warning system, materials coordination and calamity prevention and alleviation technologies. We should also call for people to enhance precaution and skills against calamities, he stressed.

We should advance our emergency management capability and build up comprehensive competence against disasters, he added.