Checks begin on school buildings

China has launched a three-year program that aims to examine every school building in China for safety flaws, with priority given to reinforcing those in earthquake-prone areas.

"We must make sure all primary and middle school buildings are safe and strong, and will be able to pass the test of history," State Council Liu Yandong told a national tele-conference on Friday.

Liu, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said all local governments should be responsible for building safer schools, or fixing those that were already standing, so that the buildings could stand up to problems such as natural disasters.