Plan for fire rescue task force released

China is set to transform its fire services and armed forestry police to build a national firefighting rescue team, according to a new government plan.

The plan, released by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council on Thursday, aims to improve the country's disaster prevention, rescue and workplace safety, protect life and property, and maintain social stability.

The new team must "stick to the absolute leadership of the CPC and be based on the national context, and should smoothly transit the team from the old system to the new to ensure the team's overall stability," the plan says.

Specific management and safeguard measures for the team will be released and improved upon. After three years of trials, a mature policy system in line with laws and regulations will be formed.

"The forces and resources of emergency rescue should be optimized and integrated to give full play to the team's role as the main force and national team in emergency rescue," the plan says.

It calls for a unified, efficient leadership system, with more fire stations built; a ranking system for command cadres, technical cadres and firefighters; and a personnel management mechanism.

A set of team management measures will be established to set up an honors system to pay tribute to the firefighting and rescue profession.