Then, the high-tech nature of bullet trains almost predictably instilled skepticism in the public about the technology's reliability. Therefore, without a thorough investigation of the root causes of the collision, few people would take the trains passing over the accident site.

To avoid tragic failures, high-speed trains still need to be tested and explored rather than pushed toward hasty operation. Investigations reveal that part of the causes that led to the catastrophe of space shuttle Columbia in 2003 also were causes that led to the Challenger explosion in 1986. Budget constraints, political pressure, poor emergency management strategy and negligence all served as hurdles preventing people from addressing the problems for 17 years.

Standing in the shoes of the Ministry of Railways, developing state-of-the-art bullet trains can bring glory to the entire country. But it also imposes political, economic and technological risks on the ministry. To withstand all pressure and carefully examine every potential problem, even as small as insulation foam that caused the space shuttles to fail, public officials and senior engineers should together establish policies and procedures that could guide the agency through crises following standard practices. Such policies and procedures are incorporated into an agency emergency management plan.

The government has stressed the importance of effective emergency management in recent years, and the State Council has sent out special investigation teams to disaster sites like the Wenzhou train collision. But it is essential to note that the emergency management starts from preparedness and readiness. A disaster mitigation plan should be in place before a crisis occurs to guide government agencies to carry out efficient and well-organized response activities. Priorities should be set, team members chosen, and resources identified in advance.

With more deliberate disaster planning and practices, we look forward to seeing more flexible and responsive timelines in the course of emergency management, and more importantly, fewer crises thanks to better preparedness.

He Shifei is a Chinese freelance journalist currently living in the U.S. Her research interests include government, politics and policy studies.

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