China's top economic planner said on Jan. 4, 2012 the government would ban the unauthorized collection of kindergarten fees, its latest bid to crack down on the excessively high costs of preschool education.

 

"The move aims to promote scientific development of preschool education, regulate kindergarten fee collection and protect the legitimate interests of both the students and the kindergartens," the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in a statement.

 

Jan. 6, 2012  

 

China will bring its nurse population to 2.86 million by 2015, meaning there will be 2.07 nurses for every 1,000 people, according to a blueprint on nursing issued on Jan. 6, 2012 by the Ministry of Health (MOH).

 

By the end of 2010, China has registered 2.05 million nurses and there were 1.52 nurses for every 1, 000 Chinese.

 

Jan. 9, 2011

 

Tougher penalties should be handed out to violators of work safety laws, a Supreme People's Court (SPC) spokesman said in an interpretation of a regulation.

 

The SPC on Jan. 9, 2011 introduced a regulation to crack down on rampant work safety violations, creating tougher penalties for violations falling into 14 categories.

 

The spokesman said reprieves will not be granted to violators whose crimes fall into one of the 14 categories, generally speaking.