Workplace safety has been given a major boost with the central government announcing plans to spend 467.4 billion yuan (US$60 billion) over the next five years to reduce fatalities and accidents.

The money will be spent on upgrading safety measures, training and monitoring.

According to the plan released by the General Office of the State Council last Monday, the death rate per 100 million yuan (US$12.5 million) of gross domestic product will be cut from 0.7 last year to below 0.45 in 2010.

More gold

China, the world's fourth-largest gold producer, had 106.028 tons of gold output in the first six months of the year, up 6.33 per cent from the same period of 2005, according to China Gold Association data.

Output in June was 17.226 tons, the association says. Gold produced from Chinese mines in the first six months of 2006 slipped 0.95 per cent to 77.333 tons, including 12.257 tons in June, it says.

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