BEIJING, Feb. 22 -- China plans to reduce its number of civil explosives enterprises from the current more than 290 to less than 200 by the end of 2007, so as to improve production safety and raise industrial profits.

 

Small enterprises which cannot meet the safe production requirements will be shut down or taken over by big firms, according to the Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defense (CSTIND).

 

China had 405 civil explosives companies in the first half of 2006. Those enterprises with an annual output of 5,000 tons account for less than 50 percent of the total.

 

CSTIND has set new and higher safety and technological standards for civil explosives and ordered to close small ones with hidden safety risks. Some of the small firms were taken over by competitive enterprises.

 

As a result of restructuring and acquisitions in the second half of last year, the number of civil explosives enterprises was reduced to over 290 from 405.

 

Civil explosives are widely used in about 20 industrial sectors such as coal, metallurgy, communications, water conservancy, power, agriculture and industry for national defense.

 

Safety is a top priority in production, distribution and use of explosives.