News-Clips (2019. 12-2020. 01)
December 2019
China to further improve nutrition for rural students
Chinese authorities require further strengthening the nutrition improvement program for rural students in compulsory education, according to a circular released on Dec. 4.
The circular, issued by five state organs including the Ministry of Education, demanded school officials accompany students to school meals as a way of ensuring food safety. Schools should also invite parents to accompany students to school meals if the facilities permit, it added.
From: Xinhua
China to take multi-pronged measures to keep employment stable
China will take robust and multi-pronged measures to ensure that employment remains stable. The government will scale up support for flexible employment, boost job opportunities for people with disabilities, and tackle the stubborn issue of wage arrears affecting migrant workers with legal means.
A host of steps was decided upon at the State Council’s executive meeting on Dec.4 chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.
From: Xinhua
China’s top legislature opposes U.S. House approval of Xinjiang-related bill
The Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, on Dec. 4 issued a statement, expressing strong indignation over and firm opposition to the passing of a bill on Xinjiang-related issues by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the so-called “Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2019,” or the UIGHUR Act of 2019, on Dec. 3 local time, maliciously attacking the human rights conditions in Xinjiang, slandering China’s de-radicalization and anti-terrorism efforts, making groundless accusations against the Chinese government’s Xinjiang policies and grossly interfering in China’s internal affairs, according to the statement.
From: Xinhua
China urges U.S. to stop double standards on anti-terrorism
China warned on Dec. 4 if the United States continues to play with double standards on anti-terrorism or even try to infringe upon other countries’ sovereignty and security, it will end up swallowing a bitter fruit with its own interests harmed.
“It hasn’t been long since the Sept. 11 attacks. The U.S. should not forget the pain as wounds heal,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said at a press conference.
From: Xinhua
China allocates lottery funds for poverty alleviation
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has allocated 2.06 billion yuan (about 292.1 million U.S. dollars) of central lottery public welfare funds to support poverty alleviation in old revolutionary base areas.
The funds allocated will mainly be used for the construction of public welfare facilities in poverty-stricken villages of old revolutionary base areas, the MOF said on Dec. 5.
From: Xinhua
Chinese gov’t solicits expertise for aged care services
China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs is recruiting experts in the field of elderly care services to promote the healthy development of the sector and better cope with an aging population.
Personnel engaged in theoretical and policy research or practical aged care services in central and state organs, their affiliated policy research institutions, Party schools, institutions of higher learning and local civil affairs departments, among others, are eligible to apply, the ministry’s elderly care service bureau said in a statement on Dec. 10.
From: Xinhua
Enormous water project benefits over 120 million people
More than 120 million people in northern China have benefited from the world’s largest water diversion project, which transfers water from the Yangtze River in the south to the drought-prone north, authorities said on Dec. 12.
Since coming into operation, the middle and eastern canals of the project have transferred nearly 30 billion cubic meters of water to over 40 cities and 260 counties in northern China, Vice-Minister of Water Resources Jiang Xuguang said at a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office.
From: China Daily
NE China province to increase nurseries for children under 3
Northeast China’s Jilin Province recently introduced a new policy to encourage kindergartens, employers and resident communities to establish nurseries for children under three, local authorities said on Dec. 14.
The move is to further support the full implementation of the two-child policy and meet the needs of parents for childcare services, according to the Health Commission of Jilin Province.
From: Xinhua
China’s employment stable in first 11 months
China’s job market remained generally stable in the first 11 months of the year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Dec. 16.
A total of 12.79 million new urban jobs were created during the period, exceeding this year’s target of creating over 11 million urban jobs, according to the bureau.
From: Xinhua
China to connect all townships, villages with paved roads by end-2019
All Chinese townships and administrative villages are expected to be connected by asphalt or cement roads by the end of this year, said an official with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) on Dec. 17.
As of Sunday, there was only one township and one administrative village in southwest China’s Sichuan Province that had yet to finish the construction of paved roads, which were expected to be completed by the end of the year, said Sun Wenjian, spokesperson for the ministry.
From: Xinhua
China’s pork supply, demand to balance for the Chinese New Year
China’s pork market may beat expectations with balanced supply and demand during the upcoming Chinese New Year, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) on Dec. 17.
Increased pork import, stacked hogs to hit shelves and reserved pork released from government and commercial inventory will expand supply for the staple meat during the holidays, Wang Junxun, a senior official with the MARA, told a press conference.
From: Xinhua
China to ensure smooth Spring Festival travel rush
China will take multiple measures to ensure smooth travels during this year’s Spring Festival, said China’s top economic planner on Dec. 18.
About three billion trips are expected to be made during the 2020 Spring Festival travel rush between Jan. 10 and Feb. 18, according to a document on the website of the National Development and Reform Commission.
From: Xinhua
China unveils 10 major steps forward in child welfare, protection in 2019
Two Chinese institutions have released a list of 10 major events in 2019 regarding progress made in child welfare and protection, China Youth Daily reported on Dec. 19.
The 10 events, marking several “firsts” and the establishment of industrial standards, were published by the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service and the Family and Child Research Center of Beijing Normal University.
From: Xinhua
Chinese police to start six-month crackdown on sexual offences against minors
Chinese police plan to launch a six-month crackdown on sexual offenses, especially those involving minors, in 2020 amid intensifying efforts on child protection, a senior official with the Ministry of Public Security announced on Dec. 20.
Chinese police will pilot a streamlined method of evidence collecting in sexual assault cases in the interest of underage victims and their privacy, said Gong Zhiyong, deputy director of the ministry’s criminal investigation bureau, at a press conference.
From: Xinhua
China speeds up renovation of dilapidated rural houses
China’s housing authorities on Dec. 23 pledged to speed up efforts to renovate dilapidated rural houses as the deadline to eradicate absolute poverty by 2020 approaches.
China will ensure that renovation work on 1.35 million dilapidated rural homes will be completed in 2020, Wang Menghui, minister of housing and urban-rural development, said at a work conference.
From: Xinhua
China installs 22,300 toilets at tourist destinations in 2019
A total of 22,300 toilets were installed or renovated at tourist destinations in China this year, accounting for 117 percent of the annual target, said the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) on Dec. 24.
The number of newly installed or upgraded tourist toilets has reached 52,600 since 2018, or 89 percent of the 2018-2020 target, said Li Hong, an official with the MCT.
From: Xinhua
China spends 80 billion USD on people in need since 2016
China’s central fiscal allocated 561.8 billion yuan (about 80 billion U.S. dollars) to help people in need from 2016 to 2019, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said in a report on Dec.25.
The funds were used to help people in extreme poverty, orphans, and the homeless, among others, said the report on China’s social assistance work.
From: Xinhua
China aims to ensure safety of Spring Festival travel rush
China’s Ministry of Public Security on Dec. 25 unveiled measures to guarantee safe and smooth transport during the upcoming travel rush for the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The ministry has asked police departments across the country to clear hazards of law violations by strictly controlling high-risk vehicles, as well as dealing with speeding, overloading and driving under fatigue.
From: Xinhua
China’s fiscal spending on environmental protection sees fast growth: minister
China’s fiscal expenditure on ecological and environmental protection saw fast growth in recent years as the government stepped up efforts to fight against pollution.
From 2016 to 2018, the fiscal spending in the sector amounted to 2.45 trillion yuan (about 349.67 billion U.S. dollars), according to Finance Minister Liu Kun, who delivered a report on Dec. 25 at the ongoing bimonthly session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.
From: Xinhua
China’s tax and fee cuts reach 1.96 trillion yuan in Jan.-Oct.
China’s massive tax and fee cut measures saved enterprises and individuals over 1.96 trillion yuan (about 280.73 billion U.S. dollars) in the first 10 months of the year, an official said on Dec. 25.
Entrusted by the State Council, Minister of Finance Liu Kun briefed Chinese lawmakers on a report on tax cuts and fee reduction work at the third plenary meeting of the ongoing bimonthly session of the country’s top legislature.
From: Xinhua
China sees improved air quality: official
China has seen notable improvement of air quality in key regions thanks to its efforts in air pollution control since the beginning of the year, environmental authorities said on Dec. 26.
In the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and surrounding regions, the number of days with good air quality in November jumped 18.6 percentage points year on year to 63 percent, data from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) showed.
From: Xinhua
China to strengthen judgment enforcement in unpaid wages for migrant workers
Chinese courts will further strengthen the enforcement of court judgments with cases involving unpaid wages for rural migrant workers, according to China’s Supreme People’s Court (SPC) on Dec. 31.
Aiming to protect the legitimate rights and interests of rural migrant workers, people’s courts at all levels are required to take effective measures to help root out non-payment of wages, including an improved one-stop litigation service mechanism and a green channel to facilitate litigation services in related cases, the SPC said in a circular.
From: Xinhua
January 2020
China enforces new national medical insurance catalog
China’s new national medical insurance catalog came into effect on Jan. 1, including 70 new drugs with their prices slashed by 60.7 percent on average.
Eight domestically-produced drugs that are seen as “major innovations” and have just hit the market in recent years are among the new additions, according to the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA).
From: Xinhua
China to promote occupational skill ranking system
China will phase out all performance-based qualifications for skilled personnel and pursue an occupational skill ranking system to train market-oriented skilled workers.
Qualification evaluations will be rolled out by related organizations and employers, said Tang Tao, deputy head of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, at a routine news briefing on Jan. 2.
From: Xinhua
China’s Ministry of Justice helps tackle unpaid wages of migrant workers
China’s Ministry of Justice has advanced public legal services to help address unpaid wages of rural migrant workers as the peak season for claiming arrears, which is around the Spring Festival, approaches.
The ministry and other institutions have initiated a legal assistance campaign, sending lawyers, grassroots-level legal workers and legal assistance volunteers to factories and communities to provide legal counseling services to migrant workers, according to a press conference on Jan. 2.
From: Xinhua
China makes headway in poverty relief through culture, tourism
China made solid progress in reducing poverty through the promotion of culture and tourism in poor areas in 2019, said the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
A series of programs have been implemented such as funding cultural activity facilities in poor villages and bringing traditional Chinese opera performances to the countryside to enrich villagers’ lives, according to a national meeting on culture and tourism held from Jan. 3 to Jan. 4.
From: Xinhua
China to strengthen tax and fee cut efforts in 2020
China will take further steps in 2020 to consolidate and expand its achievements in cutting taxes and fees, according to the State Taxation Administration.
More efforts will be made to further optimize the tax business environment, improve tax administration efficiency, and deepen international tax cooperation, the authority said on its website after the national tax work conference held on Jan. 6.
From: Xinhua
Tibet builds, upgrades 43,000 km of rural roads in 5 years
Southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region has built or renovated a total of 43,400 km of rural roads over the past five years, local authorities said on Jan. 7.
The regional government has invested 95.7 billion yuan (around 13.7 billion U.S. dollars) over the period in paving modern roads to 2,276 villages, according to the regional transport department.
From: Xinhua
Tibet basically eliminates absolute poverty
China’s Tibet Autonomous Region has basically eradicated absolute poverty, chairman of the regional government announced on Jan. 7.
The feat was accomplished after Tibet lifted the remaining 150,000 people out of poverty and took 19 counties off the poverty list in 2019, said Qizhala in his government work report delivered at the third session of the 11th People’s Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region.
From: Xnhua
Tibet advances toilet revolution
Tibet Autonomous Region has built and renovated 1,909 public toilets in the past three years, the region’s housing and urban-rural development department said on Jan.8.
Tibet began to push forward its “toilet revolution” in 2017 to increase the number and raise the standard of toilets at tourist sites and other public places.
From: Xinhua
China to establish infant care service system
A set of standards and norms on the care of infants under three will be promulgated in China, China Women’s News reported on Jan. 10.
The government will initially establish the infant care service system with policy support and standards in 2020, aiming to make infant care services more professional and regulated, said the newspaper.
From: Xinhua
China to step up meteorological efforts in support of agriculture, poverty relief
The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) named improving weather services for agricultural causes and poverty relief as one of its key tasks for 2020.
To promote rural vitalization and help eradicate absolute poverty, the country will step up the building of a modern meteorological system that serves agricultural development, said the CMA during an annual work conference opening on Jan. 11.
From: Xinhua
China rolls out first national standard on senior care
China has rolled out its first set of mandatory national standards in the field of senior care to provide bottom-line requirements for service quality of the sector.
It outlines requirements for the qualification, assessment of safety risks and management of senior care organizations, said Tian Shihong, deputy head of the State Administration for Market Regulation, at a press briefing on Jan. 13.
From: Xinhua
China to strengthen fight against environmental pollution in 2020
China’s top environmental watchdog has reiterated its ambition to fight environmental pollution in 2020, as positive results have been reaped through efforts to clean up the environment in the past year.
“Practice has proved that the current direction and path of pollution control are correct and should be adhered to and improved in the long run,” said Li Ganjie, minister of ecology and environment, at the ministry’s two-day annual work conference which ended on Jan. 13.
From: Xinhua
China’s registered urban unemployment rate within target in 2019
China’s employment market remained stable with the registered urban unemployment rate standing at 3.62 percent at the end of 2019, well below the government’s annual target of 4.5 percent, an official said on Jan. 14.
Lu Aihong, spokesperson of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS), said at a press conference that 13.52 million new urban jobs were created last year, much higher than the target of 11 million.
From: Xinhua
Beijing improves infrastructure in densely populated communities
Beijing has forged ahead with improving infrastructure, public service and greenery in its densely populated Huilongguan and Tiantongyuan communities in the northern Changping District, local authorities said on Jan. 15.
The city unveiled a three-year action plan in August 2018 investing some 20 billion yuan (about 2.9 billion U.S. dollars) in the area, which covers 63 square km and has about 863,000 permanent residents.
From: Xinhua
China’s first psychological aid center for police opens in Beijing
China’s first center offering psychological aid for police officers opened in Beijing on Jan. 16, the capital’s Public Security Bureau said.
The center will help alleviate the pressure police are under because of their workload and solve their psychological problems, especially if they are harmed while enforcing the law, the bureau said in a statement.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China honors grassroots role models of the year
Ten individuals or groups were honored as 2019 role models on Jan. 16 at an award ceremony in Beijing held by Xinhua News Agency.
Among the laureates was Eli Niyaz, a forest ranger in Yuli County, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, who has devoted himself to protecting the trees for over 26 years. Other laureates include a woman who saved her father by giving skin grafts, a couple who helped a sick hairdresser, a food delivery worker who has only one hand and one leg, a firefighter who removed four burning gas tanks from a warehouse fire, and a group of voluntary teachers.
From: Xinhua
China registers stable employment in 2019
China’s job market remained stable in 2019, with all related indicators meeting the annual goals, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Jan. 17.
A total of 13.52 million new urban jobs were created last year, exceeding the target of creating over 11 million urban jobs, NBS data showed.
From: Xinhua
China helps over 10,000 people find their families in 2019: ministry
China’s civil affairs authorities helped 10,195 people find their families in 2019, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Jan. 19.
The ministry carried out trial work of facial recognition at rescue centers around the country, requiring all of those without clear identification be reported to police for DNA collection, said Wang Jinhua, a ministry official, at a press conference.
From: Xinhua
China allocates subsidies to over 13 million people with severe disabilities: ministry
China has allocated care subsidies to over 13 million people with severe disabilities by the end of November 2019, amid the country’s continuous efforts to improve its subsidy systems for the disabled, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
About 10.3 million disabled people were provided with living subsidies across the country during the same period, said Wang Jinhua, director of the ministry’s social affairs department, at a regular press conference held on Jan. 19.
From: Xinhua
China handles 69,000 public interest lawsuits involving environment, resources protection
Chinese procuratorates handled 69,000 public interest cases involving the protection of the environment and resources in 2019, up 16.6 percent year on year, Procuratorate Daily reported on Jan. 20.
The number of people prosecuted for crimes of damaging the environment and resources in 2019 went up about 15 percent from the year before, the report said.
From: Xinhua
Wuhan shuts down airports, railways to contain new coronavirus strain
The authorities of Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, have suspended all forms of public transport, including outbound trains and flights, as of 10:00 a.m. on January 23 to contain the spread of a new coronavirus that has caused the recent pneumonia outbreak, according to the Pneumonia Epidemic Control Headquarters of Wu-
han.
From: CGTN
China’s Wuhan to build another SARS treatment-model hospital
Wuhan, the center of a coronavirus outbreak in central China, will build a second SARS treatment-model makeshift hospital and put it into use in half a month, local authorities said on Jan. 25.
The hospital, named Leishenshan Hospital, is expected to add around 1,000 beds for the patients, according to the Wuhan headquarters for the control and treatment of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus.
From: Xinhua
