New authority focuses on emergency response

The head of China's newly established emergency management authority asked his colleagues in a national video conference on Thursday to enhance their emergency response preparedness.

"Now is the key time for institutional restructuring. We should intensify emergency preparedness and be more devoted to our duty," said Huang Ming, Party secretary of the newly established Ministry of Emergency Management.

The emergency response system should be improved and capacity should be strengthened to ensure rapid, effective response, he said.