FEBRUARY 2017
China Vows to Get Tough with Duty-Related Crimes
The Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) will strengthen prosecution of duty-related crimes and maintain the momentum of the crackdown on corruption in 2017, an official said.
–News on January 28
From: Xinhua
China to Expand Environmental Inspections
China’s environmental inspections will cover all provincial regions this year, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).
–News on January 30
From: Xinhua
State Council Safeguards Migrant Workers' Rights
China’s State Council on Friday pledged to press ahead with addressing wage arrears for migrant workers to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.
–News on February 3
From: Xinhua
China to Crack Down on Threats to Rural Stability
The Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP) issued a document on Friday on the fight against officials who provide protection to “village strongmen” and gangs.
–News on February 3
From: Xinhua
Plans Reinforce Medicine, Food Safety
The State Council, China’s Cabinet, approved two important five-year plans on Friday to enhance supervision of food and medicine safety amid the government’s efforts to better protect public health.
–News on February 4
From: China Daily
China Issues Five-Year Plan on HIV/AIDS Prevention
The Chinese government has issued a five-year action plan for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.
The government will make the utmost effort to find out HIV-infected and AIDS patients, reduce infections through drug needles, blood transfusion and mother-to-child transmission, minimize the fatality rate and improve patients’ quality of life, according to the plan posted on the website of the State Council on February 5,2017.
–News on February 5
From: Xinhua
China to Create over 50 MillionNew Urban Jobs by 2020
China will create over 50 million new urban jobs by 2020, the State Council announced on February 6,2017.
The government will improve employment structure and quality, and keep the urban headline unemployment rate under 5 percent by 2020, according to the employment facilitation plan for the 2016-2020 period released by the State Council.
–News on February 6
From: Xinhua
China to Improve Permanent Residence Permit System forForeigners
China will optimize the rules and process for issuing certificates of permanent residence to foreigners with favorable treatments.
–News on February 6
From: Xinhua
Scenic Spots to See More “Third Public Toilets”
China will build 604 “third public toilets” this year, including 271 newly built ones and 333 reconstructed ones, according to China’s National Tourism Administration.
–News on February 7
From: chinahumanrights.org
China Vows to Crack Down on Organ Trafficking
A senior Chinese representative on Tuesday presented related data on China’s organ donations and transplantations at a world conference here, highlighting the country’s commitment to combating organ trafficking and transplant tourism.
–News on February 7
From: Xinhua
41.2 Percent of Chinese Hold Urban Hukou in 2016
China’s registered permanent urban residents rose to 41.2 percent of the total population in 2016, after easing of “hukou” (household registration) policy, the Ministry of Public Security announced Thursday.
–News on February 9
From: Xinhua
China Appreciates Trump’s Greetings on Chinese Lantern Festival
China on Thursday confirmed that it has received a letter to President Xi Jinping, sent by U.S. President Donald Trump, who extended his greetings ahead of the Lantern Festival.
–News on February 9
From: Xinhua
China Aims to Relocate 3.4 MillionPeople in 2017 to Tackle Poverty
China plans to relocate 3.4 million people from poverty-stricken communities to more developed areas this year as part of its poverty reduction drive, according to government sources.
–News on February 11
From: Xinhua
China to Tighten Regulation on Food, Drugs
China will tighten regulation and revise standards on an extensive range of food and drugs, according to the national food and drug watchdog Monday.
–News on February 13
From: Xinhua
Blue Book on Education Poverty Alleviation Released
The Blue Book on Education Poverty Alleviation, also known as 2016 China’s Education Poverty Alleviation Report was released on February 12, 2017 at a press conference held in Beijing.
–News on February 14
From: chinahumanrights.org
China to Launch Air Quality Inspection
A new round of air quality inspections will run in China from February 15 to March 15, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said Tuesday.
–News on February 14
From: Xinhua
Chronic Disease Mortality Rate to Drop 10 Percent by 2020
By 2020, the mortality rate for patients with chronic diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, will be reduced by 10 percent compared to that in 2015 for the 30 to 70 age group, according to a guideline released by the State Council on Tuesday.
–News on February 14
From: China Daily
China Plans Smart Health and Elderly Care
China plans to develop the smart health and elderly care industry in the next four years to grants universal access to health management services and home-based elderly care, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said Thursday.
–News on February 16
From: Xinhua
China Urges Efforts to Boost Employment This Year
Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai on Friday urged more efforts to promote job growth and make employment a priority this year.
–News on February 18
From: Xinhua
Petitioning in China Declines in 2016
The State procuratorial authorities saw a decline in petitioning in 2016, and the petitioning environment is getting better, according to Gong Ming, Director of the Prosecutor Office of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
–News on February 20
From: chinahumanrights.org
China to Improve Court Transparency
The Supreme People’s Court Wednesday released a revised regulation on digital trial recording to improve transparency in court proceedings.
–News on February 22
From: Xinhua
Xi Stresses Precision in Battle AgainstPoverty
President Xi Jinping underscored the importance of precision in the battle against poverty, saying that poverty relief targets should be accomplished as scheduled.
–News on February 22
From: Xinhua
Over 87.2 Million People Receive Medical Assistance in 2016
China provided medical assistance to over 87.2 million people in 2016, said Jiang Wei, deputy director of the Department of Social Aid of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) at a regular news conference on February 21, 2017.
–News on February 23
From: chinahumanrights.org
China Releases Revised Regulation on Improving Education for Disabled
China on Thursday issued a revised regulation on improving education for the disabled.
The regulation, signed by Premier Li Keqiang, will take effect on May 1, 2017.
The revision stressed stepping up efforts in developing compulsory, vocational, preschool and senior secondary education for the disabled.
–News on February 24
From: Xinhua
China’s Precision Poverty Relief Strategy Enlightens World
The “targeted poverty alleviation” strategy launched by China has not only managed to bring numerous Chinese people out of poverty, but has also provided enlightenment to other countries.
–News on February 26
From: People’s Daily
China Lifts 12.4 MillionPeople out of Poverty in 2016
China beat its annual target by lifting 12.4 million people out of poverty in 2016, official data showed Tuesday.
–News on February 28
From: Xinhua
Government Funds Help over 90 Million Chinese Students in 2016
More than 90 million Chinese students received financial support from the government in 2016, up 7.6 percent year on year, according to a report on February 28,2017.
The report, released by the Ministry of Education, said that China spent more than 168 billion yuan (24.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016, 12.85 billion yuan more than the previous year, helping students of all levels from pre-school up to university.
–News on February 28
From: Xinhua
China’s Economic and Social Development in 2016
China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Tuesday released a report on the country’s economic and social development in 2016.
NBS deputy chief Li Xiaochao said that the report highlighted stable economic growth, an elevation of growth quality, steady jobs growth and progress in quality of life.
–News on February 28
From: Xinhua
MARCH 2017
Chinese Vice Premier Calls for Coherent Efforts for “Green, Inclusive, Open and Clean” Olympics
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Friday called for coherent efforts to ensure the preparatory work for the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games are green, inclusive, open and clean.
Zhang made the remarks at a high-level meeting which was attended by officials from relevant government departments, along with the heads of co-hosts Beijing and neighboring Hebei Province.
–News on March 1
From: Xinhua
China Creates over 13 Million New Urban Jobs for 4 Consecutive Years
The latest figures from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS) show that China managed to create jobs more than 13 million urban jobs for four consecutive years, despite downward pressure and industrial restructuring in the Chinese economy.
–News on March 1
From: China Daily
China’s Top Political Advisory Body Starts Annual Session
China’s top political advisory body started its annual session Friday in Beijing, ushering in a political high season that will continue with the opening of the country’s top legislature Sunday.
Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, delivered a work report to more than 2,000 political advisors who gathered to discuss major political, economic and social issues in the world’s most populous nation and second-largest economy.
Top Communist Party of China and state leaders Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli attended the opening meeting at the Great Hall of the People.
–News on March 3
From: Xinhua
China and Switzerland Hold the 10th Human Rights Dialogue
From March 2 to 3, 2017, Special Representative for Human Rights Affairs and Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Foreign Ministry Liu Hua co-chaired the 10th China-Switzerland Human Rights Dialogue with Special Envoy for Human Rights Issues at the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Negri of Switzerland in Bern.
–News on March 4
From: MFA
Fifth Session of 12th NPC Opens in Beijing
The fifth session of the 12th National People’s Congress opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2017.
–News on March 5
From: Xinhua
Premier Li Keqiang Delivers Government Work Report
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang delivers a government work report during the opening meeting of the fifth session of China’s 12th National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2017.
–News on March 5
From: Xinhua
Over 36 Million Chinese Students Benefit from Nutrition Improvement Program
More than 36 million students from 134,000 primary and junior high schools in impoverished rural regions have benefited from China’s nutrition improvement program since its implementation in 2011, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said recently.
–News on March 6
From: People’s Daily Online
China Rejects U.S. Criticism on Human Rights
China on Monday questioned the findings of a United States human rights report and cautioned against using the issue of human rights to interfere in China’s internal affairs.
–News on March 7
From: Xinhua
China Holds Side Event on New Approach to Global Human Rights Governance
A group of Chinese human rights scholars on Wednesday elaborated the idea of a community of shared future for mankind in the context of human rights governance, saying interpretation of human rights ideas cannot be taken out of their cultural contexts.
Speaking during a side event at the ongoing 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Chinese scholars highlighted that the protection and guarantee of human rights do not mean sharing burdens, but sharing responsibilities.
The side event, which was jointly organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations at Geneva, centered around the theme of “Building a Community of Shared Future for Mankind: a New Approach to Global Human Rights Governance”.
–News on March 9
From: Xinhua
China Issues Report on U.S. Human Rights
China published a report on the United States’ human rights situation on Thursday.
The report, titled “The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2016”, was released by the State Council Information Office, China’s cabinet, in response to “the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016” issued by the U.S. State Department on March 3 local time.
–News on March 9
From: Xinhua
Full Text: Chronology of Human Rights Violations of the United States in 2016
The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China published a document titled “Chronology of Human Rights Violations of the United States in 2016” on Thursday.
–News on March 9
From: Xinhua
China Builds First Big Data Center for Children’s Health
China’s first big data research center for children’s health was founded in central China’s Hubei Province in a bid to improve the children’s medical care system in the country.
The center, established by Wuhan University and a Beijing-based pediatric technology firm in Wuhan, capital of Hubei, aims to develop a more complete medical care system for children in disease prevention, diagnosis and personalized treatment.
–News on March 11
From: Xinhua
China Calls on International Community to Improve Global Human Rights Governance
Ma Zhaoxu, head of the Chinese mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Monday called upon international community to improve global human rights governance.
–News on March 20
From: Xinhua
China Registers 14 MillionUnregistered Citizens
China has provided household registration permits to nearly 14 million unregistered citizens over the past four years, according to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Thursday.
–News on March 23
From: Xinhua
Xi’s Call for Fairer Globalization Backed
President Xi Jinping’s call for inclusive and sustainable globalization received international recognition and support at the Boao Forum for Asia, with participants agreeing that greater inclusiveness and fairness are needed to ensure shared benefits and common prosperity.
–News on March 27
From: China Daily
More High-Quality Schools to Be Built
More high-quality schools will be built in Beijing to ensure that more children have access to a high standard of education, authorities said on March 25,2017.
–News on March 27
From: China Daily
Tibet Marks Serfs’ Emancipation Day
Officials and thousands of members of the public gathered in Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, on Tuesday to celebrate Serfs’ Emancipation Day.
–News on March 28
From: Xinhua
China, UN Launch New Plan for Hunger Reduction Cooperation
China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) on Tuesday jointly announced the launch of a strategic plan in a bid to reduce hunger in China and other developing countries.
–News on March 28
From: Xinhua
Beijing to Keep Permanent Population under 23 Million
The Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning (BMCUP) announced on March 28 that it has finished compiling the city’s overall plan from 2016 to 2030. Public opinion on the draft will be solicited from March 29 to April 27.
According to the draft, Beijing’s permanent residents will number fewer than 23 million by 2020, and that number will be maintained in the long term. The Beijing government will also work to optimize the population structure, improve population quality and actively respond to the aging problem.
–News on March 28
From: People’s Daily Online
Premier Calls for Deepening Health Reform
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday called for deepening coordinated reform of medical services, health insurance, and the pharmaceutical industry.
–News on March 29
From: Xinhua
