Shanxi mine disaster casts shadow over province’s shift from coal to culture

Shanxi, China’s top coal-producing province, has attempted to rebrand from a polluting, high-risk mining hub into a cultural and tourist destination. However, the country’s deadliest mining accident in nearly two decades has cast a shadow over this image. On Friday, a devastating gas explosion at the Liushenyu Coal Mine in Shanxi killed at least 82 people. The disaster, which industry insiders said was a result of systemic safety failures, has drawn attention to the safety, governance and...

By Dannie Peng,Alcott Wei