BEIJING: Authorities in Shanxi province have arrested 28 people accused of not reporting the deaths of 43 miners in a series of mining accidents between 2003 and last year. Additionally, 16 government workers are under investigation on suspicion of corruption, negligence, and protecting criminal gangs, according to a statement released by a provincial investigation team.
The investigations and arrests were initiated less than a month after China Newsweek magazine published a report revealing that Jingcheng Mining in Daixian county had failed to report accidents that claimed the lives of more than 30 miners between 2007 and 2022. During the investigation, a team of authorities including the provincial public security and emergency departments discovered that Jingcheng Mining had concealed information about fatal accidents and manipulated the families of the deceased miners in negotiations with them.
Company officials used coercion and intimidation to secure compensation agreements and signed “secrecy agreements” to avoid accountability and punishment. The investigation team uncovered numerous illegal practices carried out by Jingcheng Mining, including illegal subcontracting and management irregularities. The company failed to adequately oversee production operations, leading to a high rate of personnel turnover. Safety education and training were lacking, and mining activities did not adhere to safety requirements and design plans, the statement said. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
