National code to ease earthquake damage

China is drafting national building standards that would avoid active earthquake faults, the China Earthquake Administration said on Wednesday.

The technical standards would have detailed criteria for location and construction, and provide suggestions for urban expansions that would reduce potential losses from quakes.

"The draft has been finished, so we can solicit opinions from government departments on urban planning and construction, as well as experts from the industries involved, aiming to finish the whole process as soon as possible," said Xu Xiwei, deputy head of the Institute of Geology under the administration.