Li Qiang Chairs State Council Meeting on Safety, AI

Premier Li Qiang presided over an executive meeting of the State Council in Beijing on September 11, 2026, addressing five major agenda items spanning production safety, the construction of a national computing power network, the renovation of aging reservoirs, education reform, and the revision of foundation management regulations, according to Xinhua News.

The meeting represents a broad deployment of government priorities, signaling Beijing’s focus on industrial safety, artificial intelligence infrastructure, water security, and social governance as the year progresses.

Production Safety Under Scrutiny

The meeting opened with an unusually blunt assessment of workplace accidents, noting that “recently, production safety accidents have occurred frequently in some localities, and the lessons are extremely profound.” It cited multiple important instructions from General Secretary Xi Jinping on the matter.

Officials identified several root causes, including inadequate implementation of rules and regulations, layer-by-layer subcontracting of construction projects, and insufficient safety supervision. The meeting called for strict enforcement of territorial management and the “three manage three must” principle, which requires that those who manage an industry, a business, or production must also manage safety within their scope.

The State Council urged focused risk screening in key industries, stronger normalized supervision and law enforcement, and serious accountability for violators, with the stated goal of “firmly holding the bottom line of production safety” and curbing major accidents to safeguard lives and property.

Building the Computing Power Network

Turning to technology, the meeting described the computing power network as “the foundational support for AI development.” China has been accelerating the construction of a national integrated computing power network, forming an “8+10+3” spatial layout centered on eight national computing hub nodes, ten national computing clusters, and three computing-power-electricity coordinated development regions, Xinhua reported.

The meeting called for rational layout and orderly regulation, improved computing infrastructure, and accelerated research and application of key technologies to build a multi-level, networked computing system. It emphasized “computing-power-electricity coordination” and “computing-network integration,” along with faster rollout of green power direct connection and source-grid-load-storage projects.

“The construction and operation of the computing power network require the support of new-type power grids and next-generation communication networks,” said Zhu Keli, founding dean of the Guoyan New Economy Research Institute. He argued that linking power infrastructure planning with green power direct connection could lower energy costs for computing and enable green, low-carbon development, while unified scheduling and fiber backbone networks could deliver intelligent matching and low-latency transmission.

Wang Jiacheng, chairman of Zhongcheng Hualong Computer Technology Co., said market forces would play a decisive role, urging enterprises to increase investment in core technology research and integrate upstream and downstream industrial resources.

Aging Reservoirs and Education Priorities

On water security, the meeting stressed that reservoir safety relates to the “overall situation of flood control, river management, and economic and social development.” It adopted a long-and-short-term, root-and-symptom approach, calling for a “one reservoir, one policy” renovation plan for each facility, strict quality control, and improved scheduling and routine maintenance. Authorities also sought greater coordination across departments and more social capital participation.

On education, officials reviewed progress since the National Education Conference and called for rational allocation of educational resources in light of changes in the school-age population. The meeting emphasized coordinating school places, teacher deployment, and funding to meet peak demand at all educational stages, and cultivating outstanding innovative talent aligned with national strategic needs. It reaffirmed the “health first” education concept and the integrated development of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education.

Foundation Rules Revised

The meeting also deliberated and approved a revised draft of the Regulations on the Administration of Foundations, Guangming Daily reported. The revision calls for strengthening the credibility of foundations, improving internal governance, enhancing information disclosure in key areas, and leveraging multi-department comprehensive supervision to promote the healthy and orderly development of China’s public welfare and charity sector.

What’s Next

The meeting reflects a government balancing immediate safety concerns with long-term strategic investments in computing infrastructure and human capital. The emphasis on accountability after a spate of accidents suggests intensified enforcement and inspection in key industries in the months ahead, while the computing power network agenda positions AI infrastructure as a central pillar of China’s economic modernization. Implementation details for the reservoir renovations and the revised foundation rules will be closely watched by local governments and the charity sector alike.