China launches nationwide fire-safety inspections

29/11/2025 17:47

China announced a sweeping inspection of fire-safety standards in high-rise buildings nationwide on Saturday after a deadly fire in Hong Kong left at least 128 people dead, moving to avert any comparable disaster on the mainland.



Special attention will be paid to buildings undergoing external wall renovations and interior modifications, the Ministry of Emergency Management said in a statement.



"We must comprehensively strengthen fire safety management of high-rise buildings to effectively protect people's lives and property," the ministry said.



The State Council Work Safety Committee has issued a notice to local authorities launching the inspection, it said.



Chinese authorities remain sensitive to incidents affecting social stability, following a devastating blaze in China's Xinjiang region in 2022 that killed 10 people and triggered nationwide protests amid strict COVID-19 restrictions.



The Hong Kong fire poses a major test to Beijing's grip on the city, and Beijing is moving quickly to show that it attaches the utmost importance to the tragedy.