All Beijing-based Internet cafes will stop operation since Sunday
for rectification as part of local efforts to guarantee safe
operation, announced Beijing Mayor Liu Qi at an emergency meeting
on safe production held Sunday morning after a cyber cafe fire
killed 24 persons and injured 13.
Local government had launched a campaign to regulate the Internet
cafes and set June as "month of safe production" before the
accident.
Meanwhile, a three-month long anti-fire inspection will be
conducted in all Beijing-based enterprises and various measures
will be taken to safeguard safe operation, according to Liu.
Operation licenses will not be granted to any new Internet cafes in
the future and those that have obtained legal certificates should
re-register with relevant government administrations for
inspection, the mayor said.
According to Liu Qi, illegal Internet cafes will be severely
punished. Operation certificates of legal cyber cafes that fail
tomeet relevant requirements will be revoked and problem-cafes will
be recorded in a local supervision databank on corporate
credibility.
Sources say that 2,200 out of the 2,400 Beijing-based cyber cafes
have been operating illegally.
Measures will also be taken to ensure safety in public places and
smooth operation of public services such as subway and gas.
Enditem
(Xinhua News
Agency June 17, 2002)