Mr Li Yizhong, head of the State Administration of Work Safety, said 101,480 people died, but government education and publicity campaigns were paying off.

'The national production safety situation continues to steadily improve,' he told a national meeting.

Accidents in coal mines and on the roads showed the largest improvement, Mr Li added.

China's coal mines are the world's deadliest, with fatal accidents taking place almost on a daily basis as mine owners push productions beyond safety limits to pursue profits. -- REUTERS