Thousands of small mines are running illegally

The accuracy of the official safety figures is difficult to verify, but independent analysts say the real death toll from mining is about 10,000 a year.

Firework factories are another high-risk workplace.

No official death toll figures have been reported, but a string of explosions are known to have killed at least 100 people last year, including children.

Last week the eastern province of Jiangxi ordered its fireworks factories closed following a series of fatal accidents.

The government is expected to pass a law on firework production safety in June, Xinhua said.

And Mr Zhang said China would also aim this year to tighten the regulations for dangerous chemicals and coal mines.

According to Mr Zhang's report, 116,858 people died in accidents in the first 11 months of last year - but 81.5% of those were traffic accidents.

Mr Zhang said that was a 26.5% increase on 2000.

The United States, with less than a quarter of China's population, had 41,821 traffic deaths in 2000, according to the US Department of Transportation.