More efficient early warning channel needed in China

China needs a more efficient channel to release its early warnings for natural disasters since the publishing the warnings often takes longer than expected when using existing methods. The Head of the China Meteorological Administration Zheng Guoguang said the coordination among different sectors is crucial in releasing early warning. "Currently, text messages will take eight hours to reach all eight million of Beijing's mobile phone users," he told Xinhua news agency at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office. Therefore, he added that China should establish a 'green channel' with a clear examination procedure for the accurate and timely release of the warnings. At the same time, Zheng urged the need to cooperate with the telecommunication sector, as authorities will need to utilize new technology in order to release the warnings in a more timely fashion. About 85 percent of the country's population has access to early warning information at the present time, Zheng said.