China Shuts 7,000 Pits in Safety Drive

China is to close more than a quarter of the country's coal mines in its latest bid to improve conditions inside the world's most dangerous pits.

According to the state-run China Daily, 7,000 mostly small mines will be forced to halt production by the end of the year and will not reopen until they have reached national safety standards.

To minimise the corruption that has has worsened the problem, local government officials have also been told to withdraw all their shares in private mines by September 22.

The rising death toll at pit faces - 2,672 miners died in the first six months of this year, a 33% rise from 2004 - has embarrassed the communist government, which is often accused of sacrificing miners' lives to secure the cheap fuel needed to power the country's spectacular economic growth. China depends on coal for more than 70% of its energy needs.