Jiangsu to Close All Firecracker FactoriesAll firecracker factories in east China's Jiangsu Province will be closed this year, a police source said on July 31.The decision is part of the province's efforts to ensure the security of the people's lives and their property. According to a provincial government official, firecracker factories have been one of the places where explosions often occur. Last August, 21 people were killed and 26 others seriously injured in a firecracker-related explosion in Jiangxi Province. Earlier in March last year, 33 people were killed in a firecracker factory blast in Jiangxi. Chinese traditionally use firecrackers to celebrate festivals, but in recent years, more and more Chinese cities have issued firecracker bans for the purposes of safety and environmental protection. According to a recent survey, about 80 percent of the Chinese people support the tight control of firecrackers. In Beijing, the government kicked off its ban on firecrackers on December 1, 1993. |
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