Officials blamed for accidents

The central government announced that government officials in Beijing, Chongqing and Jilin Province will be punished for recent accidents leading to the deaths of over 300 people. The announcement came after the State Council met to discuss safety issues. A total of 68 officials were scheduled to receive punishment for the recent accidents, the largest of which was a chemical leak in Chongqing, in which almost 200 people died. Premier Wen Jiabao, who was present at the announcement, urged officials around the country to improve safety standards to avoid similar accidents in the future.