NEWS - ICDO

International Civil Defence Journal, Vol. XIX N° 1 , May 2009
World Civil Defence Day 2009
NEWS
PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
The International Civil Defence Day promotional event, jointly organized by Ministry of Civil Affairs of
the People's Republic of China (MCA), National Civil Air Defense Office and the Beijing Municipal Government,
was held in Beijing on the morning of March 1, 2009. This represents the first International Civil
Defence Day promotional event that was ever organized in China since it joined the International Civil Defence
Organisation (ICDO) in 1992.
Liang Guanglie, State Councilor and Minister of Ministry of Defence of the People's Republic of China;
Li Xueju, Minister of MCA; Guo Jinlong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee and
Mayor of Beijing; Qi Jianguo, Assistant to Chief of General Staff and Director of National Civil Air Defense
Office; Duan Ruiwu, Deputy Commander of Beijing Military Area Command; Huang Wei, Vice
Mayor of Beijing; and Ding Xiangyang, Vice Mayor of Beijing, attended the event that was organized at
Chaoyang Park of Chaoyang District, Beijing.
Themed “Pay Attention to Civil Defence, Live Safely”, the event aims to disseminate the knowledge of
air defense, disaster prevention and public safety, enhance citizens’ awareness of public safety, improve the
capability to respond to emergencies, to build a safe environment for the creation of a harmonious society.
To strengthen the public’s awareness of safety protection and improve their knowledge of and skills in responding
to disasters, the event has set up emergency disaster relief tents and Red Cross first aid stations on
site. And advanced emergency rescue equipment for fire fighting, hygiene, transportation, environmental
protection and civil defence were also brought to the site for the audience.
Liang Guanglie, Li Xueju and Guo Jinlong gave important speeches respectively, while Chen Qiumin,
community resident representative from Chaoyang District, read out a letter of advocacy entitled “Pay Attention
to Civil Defence, Live Safely Together”, and the officials distributed promotional public safety material
to community residents, examined the emergency rescue equipment and knowledge boards at the
main exhibition venue, and visited a community civil defence educational center in Wang Jing, Chaoyang
District.
Approx. 1,000 audiences including officials from MCA, National Civil Air Defense Office, Beijing Municipal
Government and Beijing Garrison as well as general public from all walks of life participated in this
event.
In his speech, Guo Jinlong pointed out that the organization of the “Pay Attention to Civil Defence, Live
Safely” promotional event has great significance to the dissemination of the knowledge of the disaster prevention
and reduction, public safety and civil defence, and the improvement of the citizen's awareness of
public safety and capability to respond to emergencies. Mayor Guo emphasized that civil defence is an important
component in the construction of the public safety system for the capital. During the recent years,
based on the requirement of “People First, Civil Defence for the People” and pursuing the goal of a “Safe
Capital”, Beijing Municipal Government has comprehensively strengthened civil defence efforts, resulting
in constant improvement of emergency management system, strengthening of the construction of civil defence
facilities, enhancement of professional rescue capability, expansion of volunteer groups, and obvious
improvement of citizen’s safety protection capability, playing a critical role in the capital’s efforts in disaster
prevention and reduction and effective response to public safety incidents.
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