Published by ChinaMNC · Shinan

Qingdao Flood and Drought Emergency Plan: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

Qingdao's revised flood and drought emergency plan clarifies government responsibilities and preparedness measures. Foreign founders operating in Qingdao should understand how these protocols may affect their business operations and compliance obligations.

Qingdao Flood and Drought Emergency Plan: What Foreign Founders Need to Know

Foreign founders operating companies in Qingdao should be aware of the local government's revised flood and drought emergency plan, which outlines coordination and response measures for water-related disasters and typhoons. The plan was approved by the municipal government and replaces the previous version issued in September 2022.

Purpose and Legal Basis

The plan aims to ensure that flood, drought, and typhoon prevention and rescue work is conducted lawfully, scientifically, efficiently, and in an orderly manner, with the goal of minimizing casualties and property losses. It is based on a range of national and provincial laws and regulations, including the Water Law, Flood Control Law, Emergency Response Law, and relevant Shandong Province and Qingdao municipal regulations.

Guiding Principles

The plan adheres to several guiding principles:

• People-first and life-first: Priority is given to protecting people's lives and safety.
• Unified leadership and coordinated response: Flood and drought work is led by the Party, with a responsibility system led by government heads at each level.
• Prevention first and combined prevention, resistance, and rescue: Emphasis is placed on law-based prevention, mass prevention and control, scientific scheduling, and comprehensive management.

Organizational Structure

The Qingdao Flood and Drought Control Headquarters (referred to as the Municipal Headquarters) leads the city's flood and drought control work, including typhoon defense. The Headquarters Office is jointly formed by the Municipal Water Authority and the Municipal Emergency Management Bureau and is located within the Emergency Management Bureau, with the Water Authority handling daily operations.

The Headquarters has a "dual commander" system, with two deputy mayors (one overseeing emergency management and one overseeing water affairs) serving as co-commanders. The main leaders of the Water Authority and the Emergency Management Bureau serve as deputy commanders and concurrently as deputy directors of the Office. Other deputy commanders include the Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government and the main leader of the Municipal Meteorological Bureau.

Member units include various municipal departments such as Education, Natural Resources and Planning, Housing and Urban-Rural Development, Public Security, Culture and Tourism, Urban Management, Transport, Water Affairs, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Marine Development, Emergency Management, as well as the North China Sea Marine Forecasting and Disaster Mitigation Center, Qingdao Maritime Safety Administration, Shandong Water Network Operation and Scheduling Center Qingdao Branch, Municipal Meteorological Bureau, Municipal Hydrology Center, Qingdao Water Group, and Qingdao Metro Group. The deputy leaders of the Water Authority and Emergency Management Bureau also serve as deputy directors of the Office.

Responsibilities of Key Departments

Each member unit has specific responsibilities to ensure a coordinated response:

• Education Bureau: Supervises schools' flood and drought preparedness, including emergency education for staff and students, and implements measures to prevent student drowning and maintain school safety.
• Natural Resources and Planning Bureau: Organizes geological disaster surveys, monitoring, and early warning; provides technical support for emergency rescue.
• Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau: Guides flood and drought work within the housing and construction sector, organizes maintenance of municipal infrastructure, and oversees dangerous building assessments.
• Public Security Bureau: Maintains social order, combats crimes such as rumor-mongering and theft of flood control materials, assists in evacuations, and coordinates traffic control during rainfall or typhoon-induced emergencies.
• Culture and Tourism Bureau: Guides cultural and tourism entities in flood preparedness, and supervises travel agencies, star-rated hotels, and A-level scenic spots for safety publicity and prevention during flood season.
• Urban Management Bureau: Guides flood safety for urban gas, landscaping, and sanitation facilities, and urges districts to clean up debris after rain.
• Transport Bureau: Ensures safety of waterway, highway, and railway infrastructure during flood season; supervises port infrastructure and vessel wind resistance; oversees public transport safety and emergency transport coordination; may require removal of obstructions to flood flow.
• Water Authority: Handles daily operations of the Headquarters; manages water engineering construction and safety; organizes flood and drought prevention planning; monitors water and drought conditions; provides technical support for flood and urban waterlogging rescue; coordinates typhoon defense scheduling of major water projects.
• Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau: Collects and reports agricultural disaster information; guides agricultural flood and drought control and post-disaster recovery; provides technical guidance for production self-rescue and pest control.
• Marine Development Bureau: Responsible for marine observation, forecasting, and disaster prevention; organizes fishing vessel sheltering and aquaculture recovery.
• Emergency Management Bureau: Coordinates major flood and drought emergency rescue; commands emergency rescue teams; releases disaster information; manages relief supplies; jointly issues geological disaster meteorological risk warnings with Natural Resources and Meteorological Bureaus.
• Meteorological Bureau: Monitors and forecasts weather and climate; provides rolling forecasts and warnings during flood season; supplies meteorological information to the Headquarters and members.
• Qingdao Water Group: Develops flood emergency plans and urban water supply safeguard plans; forms flood rescue teams; maintains water supply and drainage facilities; conducts inspections and drainage during heavy rain; participates in urban flood rescue; responsible for Laoshan Reservoir flood control.
• Qingdao Metro Group: Implements flood control for metro lines and stations; ensures safety of entrances and passages; supervises construction site flood control.

Other relevant departments, including the Publicity Department, Development and Reform Commission, Industry and Information Technology Bureau, Finance Bureau, and Health Commission, also have supporting roles in publicity, material scheduling, industrial water conservation, funding, and medical rescue.

Implications for Foreign Founders

Foreign founders should note that this plan establishes a clear framework for government response to flood and drought events. While the plan primarily addresses government actions, businesses operating in Qingdao may be affected by emergency measures such as traffic control, evacuation orders, and utility disruptions. Companies are advised to stay informed of official warnings and cooperate with local authorities during emergencies. Understanding the responsibilities of different departments can help businesses know whom to contact for specific concerns.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.

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