BEIJING - Chinese government on Wednesday pledged for aggressive measures to ensure workplace safety after a plant fire claimed 120 lives in Northeast China's Jilin province on Monday.

A nationwide overhaul on workplace safety will soon be kicked off and the government promised to used an "iron hand" to crack down on violators of safety rules, according to a statement released after an executive meeting of the State Council, which was presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

The overhaul will target at key sectors such as coal mining and hazardous chemical industries, as well as labor-intensive enterprises,according to the statement.

The statement urged to punish delinquent government staff and heads of production facilities without lenience.