A chemical explosion in Xiangshui county, East China’s Jiangsu Province has claimed 62 lives with dozens critically wounded. The major accident occurred not long after the blast in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province on November 28, 2018.

Families of the victims are suffering enormous pain. The explosion may also have an impact on Xiangshui’s economic and social development.

China is at a critical period of manufacturing upgrading. It has to forge ahead or will be driven back. The chemical industry is an industry that plays a significant role in raising people’s living standards. Reducing the accident rate in this field and avoiding major accidents is key to the development of China’s chemical industry.

According to media reports, 13 safety problems of Jiangsu Tianjiayi Chemical, which had been punished many times before, were found last year. But the plant was still operating despite the risks. Obviously, its management’s laxity and regulatory slips have led to this tragedy.

Major security incidents indicate that ethical and professional standards in certain fields are having a difficult time keeping up with the country’s increasingly tough modernization process, which cannot afford to take risks.

But amid grieving and anxiety, we should not be discouraged.

We have witnessed the Chinese society’s ability to mobilize for emergency relief and rehabilitation after major accidents. The government’s remedy measures have been carried out. Only a few people had heard about Xiangshui, but it is now the focus of the world. It is believed that such attention and efforts are the beginning of the process to solve the problem.

A major accident will expose loopholes and deficiencies in the country’s governance. The problems must be dealt with in accordance with laws and regulations. Yet we should also prevent the tragedy from being used to stir irrational emotions or create internal opposition.

The country is committed to enhancing production safety. Those responsible for accidents will be investigated according to the law. Relevant remedial actions will be implemented with the utmost effort. This is China’s way to deal with accidents.

In dealing with such a serious accident, there is absolutely no room for false information from the government. The public must trust the authoritative information and fend off rumors.

Now that the accident has occurred, it is hoped that efforts led by the government can minimize the losses, and the investigation, reflection and remediation can trigger an alert not only in the chemical industry, but also other industries. The goal is to prevent security risks from hiding from routine security measures.