The Tragedy of China’s Coal Industry – Asia Sentinel

Asia Sentinel takes a look at the reasons behind China’s disastrous mine safety record:

Antiquated mines, lack of training and poor equipment are only part of the problem. Even after years of trying to clean up the situation, too many local officials find it lucrative to be involved in one of the country’s fastest growing industries. Outraged officials in Beijing have issued directive after directive, demanding that the coal industry be cleaned up. But they have been issuing similar directives for decades. [Full text]