Top Tianjin official claims 'responsibility' for blasts

Updated: 2015-08-19 17:20

By Zhao Yinan(chinadaily.com.cn)

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Economic impact

Huang said the incident has affected at least 176 businesses, but economic losses have yet to be assessed.

"The incident has shattered the local economy and brought difficulties to local businesses," he said.

Huang denied speculations that the incident will affect the development of Tianjin, or diminish its status as a major port city in Northern China.

He said there will not be a great influence on commodities exports, although the 176 businesses being affected during the blasts are trading companies.

"I understand that many companies are facing difficulties at the moment and they might think of moving out, but I believe that the difficulties will be temporary and risks can be solved," he said.

"Tianjin still has the opportunity to develop, and these companies have the vision."

Compensation

Zong Guoying, vice mayor of Tianjin, said the government has set up a service center to coordinate the compensation for residential house damages.

He said the government has started to offer temporary resettlement fees before the damages can be evaluated and compensated. Third-party assessment institutions will be invited through government procurement to conduct the evaluation of the damages, he said.

As for the dead contract firefighters hired by companies at terms less favorable than those offered to the official workers, Huang said the government will offer the same treatment and compensation to them and build a garden at the incident site to remember them.

Relatives of the firefighters will be compensated according to the highest standards, he said.

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