Accidents （involving） aging electric (elevators) and problematic (escalators) in China have become a matter of increasing public concern.

With an expected service life of (20 )years, most of the equipment (installed) in the country in the 1980s has now reached an advanced age. But problems do not only exist among old (elevators). An anonymous resident, living in Yongle Community, in west Beijing's Shijingshan District says he highly suspects the safety of the newly installed elevators in his building.

"This is a new elevator they put in to replace the old one some time ago, but it frequently breaks down. We usually feel a sudden (drop), and then it continues to run (smoothly). We've reported this problem many times, but no one seems to be responsible for it."

Figures released by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, (Inspection) and Quarantine show that the number of operating elevators in China has reached 1.6 million, the largest amount anywhere in the world. Usually, an elevator should be replaced by a new one every 20 years, though many elevators in China have (surpassed) this age.