January 2023
China’s revised law on women protection to take effect on Jan. 1
With the newly-revised Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women to come into force on Jan. 1, 2023, rights and interests of women in China will be better protected in a wide range of areas.
The revised law stipulates that the State shall take necessary measures to promote gender equality, eliminate discrimination of all forms against women and prohibit exclusion or restriction of women’s legitimate rights and interests.
From: Xinhua
Beijing’s PM2.5 density slashed over past decade
Beijing’s average concentration of PM2.5 fell to 30 micrograms per cubic meter in 2022, 66.5 percent lower than that in 2013 when the city first included PM2.5 readings in its focus on air pollution monitoring and control, said the municipal ecology and environment bureau on Jan. 4.
From: Xinhua
China reports fewer casualties from natural disasters
Casualties caused by natural disasters nationwide hit a record low in 2022, despite increasing extreme weather events due to climate change and the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on rescue efforts, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
Compared with the average of the previous five years, the number of people left missing or dead in natural disasters last year declined 30.8 percent, according to a media release issued by the ministry at the end of its annual work conference in Beijing on Jan. 5.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China encourages grassroots teams to protect rural villages from COVID
China is promoting grassroots teams consisting of village officials, doctors and volunteers, to ensure one-to-one service for vulnerable groups in villages to prevent and curb the severe cases of the COVID-19 in the country’s broad rural areas.
That move aims to detect the COVID cases in villages much earlier, as the nation is also speeding up the process of identifying severe cases, the preliminary treatment and referrals in rural China, said a primary health official at a news conference on Jan. 7.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China still to fully reimburse cost for COVID treatment
Hospitalization cost for COVID-19 patients will continue to be fully reimbursed until the end of March, a circular said on Jan. 7, despite China’s decision to downgrade the disease’ management from Class A to Class B on Jan. 8.
Released by four departments including the National Healthcare Security Administration and the Ministry of Finance, the circular said hospitalization costs that confirm to the diagnosis and treatment plan for novel coronavirus infections — as COVID-19 is officially known — will still be reimbursed as before.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
National political advisors aim to improve livelihoods
In the past five years, efforts have been made by national political advisors in the social and legal affairs sector to advance the country’s progress in improving people’s livelihoods.
The Committee on Social and Legal Affairs under the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, the country’s top political advisory body, held a briefing in Beijing on Jan. 11.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
World Islamic religious figures, scholars visit China’s Xinjiang
China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has made remarkable achievements in counterterrorism and deradicalization, and has fully implemented the country’s policy on freedom of religious belief, according to world-renowned Islamic religious figures and scholars.
From Jan. 8 to 11, Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, chairman of the World Muslim Communities Council, led a delegation of more than 30 Islamic religious figures and scholars from 14 countries to visit Xinjiang.
From: Xinhua
China highlights COVID response at nursing homes, community level
Chinese authorities are strengthening COVID-19 prevention and control measures in nursing homes and mobilizing the community-level response, officials said on Jan. 11.
New guidelines have been introduced on preventing and controlling the novel coronavirus infection in nursing homes, subjecting such institutions to more intense controls than general society, said Li Banghua, an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA), at a press conference.
From: Xinhua
China issues price subsidy worth 6.5 billion yuan to people in need in 2022
China delivered subsidies worth 6.5 billion yuan (about $960.4 million) in 2022 to people in distress to help cushion the impact of price increases, the country’s top economic planner said on Jan. 12.
The country has established a price subsidy mechanism to offer financial aid to vulnerable communities in case of price hikes.
From: Xinhua
Commission equips rural hospitals
A special commission on controlling COVID-19 in rural regions is racing to equip rural hospitals with oximeters and oxygenators as part of a broader drive to intensify the supply of anti-epidemic materials in the countryside.
Every village health room will be given finger oximeters and each township hospital will receive an oxygenator, said the commission under the State Council’s Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism, the country’s COVID-19 control task force, on Jan. 13.
From: CHINA DAILY
Tibet aims to enhance livelihood in 2023
The Tibet autonomous region expects to continue to improve people’s quality of life in 2023, said Yan Jinhai, chairman of the regional government, on Jan. 13.
In 2023, the region expects to see GDP growth of 8 percent, as well as 8 percent per capita growth in disposable income for urban residents and 10 percent for rural residents, Yan said, while the consumer price index will be kept below 3 percent, and urban unemployment below 5 percent.
Yan announced the targets while delivering the government work report at the annual session of the regional People’s Congress, which opened on Jan. 13.
From: CHINA DAILY
Xinjiang to accelerate development in next 5 years
The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region plans to achieve rapid economic growth in the next five years, according to the regional government’s work report.
In the next five years, the growth rates of the region’s key economic indicators are expected to exceed the national average, taking the region’s economic development to a new level, Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the region, said while delivering the report during the opening session of the 14th People’s Congress of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Jan. 14.
From: China Daily
Tap water coverage in rural China to reach 88 percent
Tap water coverage in China’s rural areas will reach 88 percent in 2023, up one percentage point from the end of 2022, the Ministry of Water Resources said on Jan. 16.
Large-scale water supply projects, which aim to integrate urban and rural water supply and standardize water services, are expected to cover 57 percent of China’s rural population.
The coverage of the projects stood at 56 percent in rural areas by 2022, data from the ministry showed.
From: Xinhua
Beijing courts make greater efforts in solving security-related cases
Beijing courts have made greater efforts in solving security-related cases over the past five years in response to public concerns and to provide a stronger sense of security for local residents, said Kou Fang, president of the Beijing High People’s Court.
While delivering a work report to the municipal people’s congress, the capital’s top legislature, on Jan. 17, Kou revealed that courts across the city concluded 2,235 cases on food and drug safety as well as 20,958 cases concerning dangerous driving in the past five years.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China sees improved air, water quality in 2022
China’s air and water quality registered steady improvement in 2022, data from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment showed on Jan. 17.
The share of days with good air quality stood at 86.5 percent in Chinese cities at and above the prefecture-level, Jiang Huohua, an official with the ministry told a press conference.
From: Xinhua
Premier calls for adequate energy supplies, stable prices
Premier Li Keqiang called on Jan. 17 for adequate energy supplies and price stability to ensure people’s well-being and the nation’s overall social and economic development.
Li made the remarks during an inspection tour of the State Grid Corp of China headquarters in Beijing ahead of Spring Festival, which falls on Jan. 22. During the tour, he sent his festive greetings and best wishes to the staff of the State-owned electricity utility.
From: CHINA DAILY
Ministry reports stable job market
China’s job market remained stable in 2022, with about 12.06 million people finding work in urban areas, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said on Jan. 18.
According to the ministry, the nation has made great efforts to stabilize the employment of key groups, including college graduates, migrant workers and formerly impoverished people.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China to further consolidate achievements of poverty alleviation: official
China will further consolidate achievements of poverty alleviation by shoring up internal development driving forces of people and areas that have shaken off poverty, an official said on Jan. 19.
The country will nurture and upgrade local industries, with special focus on agricultural and rural resources and local products, said Liu Huanxin, head of the National Rural Revitalization Administration.
From: Xinhua
China’s “water tower” invests 320 million yuan in ecological protection in 2022
The Sanjiangyuan National Park in northwest China’s Qinghai Province invested nearly 320 million yuan (about 47.27 million U.S. dollars) in ecological protection and restoration projects in 2022, local authorities said on Jan. 23.
The Sanjiangyuan area, known as China’s “water tower,” contains the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers. At an average altitude of more than 4,700 meters, Sanjiangyuan National Park is the world’s highest national park covering a total area of 190,700 square km.
From: Xinhua
Xinjiang sets sights on building eight new airports
The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region plans to construct eight new airports to form a modern airport network system.
Xinjiang Airport Group announced its plan on Jan. 31 to build airports in Qitai, Bayanbulak, Barkol, Bugur (Luntai), Wusu, Hoboksar, Pishan and Qiemo from 2023 to 2025.
The region has 25 civil airports, with six built during the past five years, ranking the region first in the number of civil airports in China.
From: China Daily
February 2023
Farmland conversion contributes to global greening
China’s conversion of farmlands to forests and grasslands has contributed more than 4 percent to the growth of global green areas, according to a release from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration published on Feb. 3.
Since 1999, China has launched two projects returning 14.2 million hectares of farmland to forests and grasslands, with the central government investing more than 570 billion yuan ($84 billion) to the cause, the administration said.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Seniors, children in rural areas priority in COVID protection
Authorities have pledged to continue to prioritize seniors and young children in rural areas as the group that needs the most protection against COVID-19, even though the virus had subsided nationwide.
The weeklong Spring Festival holiday, which officially ended on Jan. 27, didn’t cause a spike of COVID-19 infections in thinly resourced rural areas as experts had feared, and the risk for the virus to further spread among farmers was described by a senior agricultural official on Feb. 3 as low.
From: China Daily
China’s Red Cross to aid Turkiye, Syria after earthquakes
The Red Cross Society of China said that it will send the Turkish Red Crescent and the Syrian Red Crescent cash to help with disaster relief and rescue operations after strong earthquakes shook Turkiye and Syria on Feb. 6.
Each organization will receive $200,000, the society said.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Schools ready to hire coaches to improve sports education
Schools and universities can establish positions for sports coaches to offer guidance to students and alleviate the shortage of sports teachers, a new guideline said on Feb. 10.
The guideline, issued by the General Administration of Sport and three other departments, said primary, middle, high schools, secondary vocational schools and universities can all establish such full-time or part-time posts.
From: CHINA DAILY
“No 1 Central Document” issued for 2023
The Communist Party of China Central Committee and State Council on Feb. 13 unveiled the highly anticipated “No 1 Central Document” for the year, which pledged to advance the national strategy of rural vitalization with the whole of the Party’s strength and accelerate the modernization process in rural regions, according to Xinhua News Agency.
In a summary of the document published by Xinhua, central authorities said the CPC Central Committee has agreed work related to agriculture, rural villages and farmers will be the most important among the Party’s key tasks, and cannot risk any mistakes.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Digital education in-focus at session
Entitled “Promoting Innovative Development of Higher Education with Digital Transformation”, a parallel session on higher education was held in Beijing on Feb. 14 during the World Digital Education Conference.
The session was a way for participants from different countries to share their experience in the digital transformation of higher education, promote the rebuilding of higher education and serve its innovative development.
Almost 3,000 representatives from international organizations, government institutions and universities attended the session online and off at Tsinghua University.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Violent crimes, prosecutions fall over past 5 years
Serious violent crimes have fallen in number and proportion to total crimes, with the number of prosecutions dropping by 27.8 percent compared with the previous five years, according to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate.
The number of prosecutions for violent crimes such as homicide, robbery and kidnapping in 2022 was the lowest in the past two decades, and the proportion of prosecutions for serious violent crimes among total crimes dropped from 25 percent in 1999 to 3.9 percent in 2022, according to statistics released by the SPP at a news conference held on Feb. 15.
From: China Daily
Basic medical insurance funds to cover drugstore bills in China
China is encouraging drugstores nationwide to integrate with the reimbursement system for outpatient services under the country’s medical insurance schemes.
The move will enable those covered by medical insurance schemes to have their medicine bills incurring at drugstores reimbursed by medical insurance funds, according to a circular released by the National Healthcare Security Administration on Feb. 15.
From: Xinhua
Study on disaster risks to help improve safety
China released its survey results on the integrated risk of natural disasters on Feb. 15, the first of its kind in the country aiming to help prevent disasters in the future.
Zheng Guoguang, secretary-general of the National Disaster Reduction Commission, told a news conference that the results reveal hidden risks posed by natural disasters and disaster resistance capacity in some key regions.
From: Xinhua
Residents’ rights, freedoms well-protected, HK government says
The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has continued to firmly uphold the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents following the implementation of the National Security Law for Hong Kong, and law enforcement actions in national security cases are evidence-based and in strict accordance with the law, a delegation from the Hong Kong government told a recent UN meeting.
The government delegation, which was led by the Permanent Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Gracie Foo Siuwai, attended the meeting of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Feb. 15 and Feb. 16, to respond to the committee’s concerns on the human rights situation in Hong Kong.
From: CHINA DAILY
China participates in 3rd review of implementation on International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
A high-level Chinese delegation participated in the third review of its implementation on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) ON Feb. 15 and Feb. 16.
The Chinese delegation consists of representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United Front Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Supreme People’s Court, Ministry of Education, National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Civil Affairs, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, National Health Commission, National Religious Affairs Administration, National Disease Prevention and Control Administration and National Working Committee on Children and Women under the State Council, as well as the governments of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macao Special Administrative Region.
The delegation was led by Ambassador Chen Xu, Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva.
From: Xinhua
China makes “great leap forward” in human rights protection: senior diplomat
Over the past years, China has made “a great leap forward” in protecting all Chinese people’s economic, social and cultural rights “in a coordinated manner,” said Chen Xu, China’s permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, on Feb. 16.
While briefing the media on the country’s human rights development following a two-day review of its report on the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), Chen said China follows a people-centered development philosophy, strives to meet the people’s aspirations for a better life, and keeps promoting economic and social development to improve the people’s welfare.
From: Xinhua
China’s top court issues guideline on environmental protection
China’s top court issued a guideline on Feb. 17 aiming to help the country achieve its climate targets of peaking carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and realizing carbon neutrality before 2060 through legal services.
The 24-article guideline made by the Supreme People’s Court highlights the significance of putting the environmental restoration first, clarifying that judges should balance the relationship between development and emission reduction of enterprises in case handling.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Urgent action called for at climate change seminar
Experts said reducing emissions is an urgent task in mitigating climate change at a seminar held by the National Climate Center in Beijing on Feb. 20.
Luo Yong, professor from the Department of Earth System Science at Tsinghua University, said adaptation to climate change cannot replace reducing emissions as a way to deal with the fact the world will face more changes due to global warming.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Tibet to invest 13.7 billion yuan to improve people’s well-being
Southwest China’s Tibet autonomous region has announced plans to invest 13.7 billion yuan (about $1.99 billion) this year in initiatives aimed at improving the well-being of local residents.
The initiatives include providing livelihood subsidies for border residents, supporting medical professionals in aiding Tibet, and upgrading the oxygen supply facilities in border counties and townships located in areas 3,500 meters above sea level, the regional government said on Feb. 21.
From: Xinhua
Report gives overview of population’s mental health
Chinese people’s mental health was generally good last year, with about one in 10 adults at risk of depression, according to a report released on Feb. 23.
The rate of those prone to depression was slightly lower than the level recorded in 2020, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Psychology said.
The decrease is partly attributed to the increasing accessibility of mental health services in recent years.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s transport network now covers over 6 million kilometers
As of last year, China’s transportation network has grown to cover more than 6 million kilometers, the minister of transport said recently.
From 2018 to 2022, China’s transportation sector saw investments of 17 trillion yuan ($2.44 trillion) in fixed assets, Minister Li Xiaopeng said at a news conference on Feb. 23.
China’s railway network covers 155,000 km, of which 42,000 km are high-speed railways, accounting for more than two-thirds of the world’s high-speed railways.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China calls for immediate improvements to coal mine safety
China’s top emergency management watchdog on Feb. 24 ordered immediate safety rectifications at the nation’s coal mines to eliminate major risks after a coal mine collapsed in Alxa League, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, on Feb. 22.
Comprehensive inspections and rectifications should be conducted to root out the major hidden safety hazards in key sectors and fields, said the Ministry of Emergency Management, calling for efforts to resolutely prevent major accidents from happening, in order to safeguard people’s lives and property and maintain social stability.
From: Xinhua
China’s top internet regulator releases new personal information guidelines
China’s top internet regulator issued a guideline on Feb. 24 aiming to better protect personal information by specifying procedures and requirements for providing such information overseas.
The 13-article guideline, which requires personal information processors to sign standard contracts with the information receivers overseas, has been disclosed on the website of the Cyberspace Administration of China, with a sample contract attached available for download.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China to promote more impartial, inclusive global human rights governance: FM
The 52nd regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) began at the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Feb. 27, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressing the opening ceremony.
The session will last through April 4, starting with a high-level segment from February 27 to March 2, and dignitaries representing more than 125 Member States addressing the Council.
Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang will address via video link at a high-level segment on February 27, comprehensively introduce China’s vision and measures on human rights, elaborate on China’s proposals on global human rights governance, and contribute Chinese wisdom to the sound development of the international human rights cause, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Feb. 27.
From: CGTN
Emergency medical response system to be upgraded
China will build major medical centers and increase the number of teams to handle health emergencies and contagious diseases following its experiences battling COVID-19, officials said on Feb. 27.
The nation also plans to increase its stockpiles of emergency medical materials, Guo Yanhong, head of the National Health Commission’s medical emergency department, said at a news briefing. The COVID-19 epidemic highlighted the significance of the country’s emergency medical treatment capacity as other public health threats continue to emerge, Guo said.
From: China Daily
UN stresses importance of right to development
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council held a high-level meeting on Feb. 28 and March 1 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, stressing that the landmark declaration was a ground-breaking achievement.
“The time had come to recognize the right to development as a human right — on a par with other human rights and fundamental freedoms,” said Amina J. Mohammed, UN deputy secretary-general and chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group.
From: Xinhua
Opinions heard on draft plan
The upcoming reform of the institutions of the Communist Party of China and the State will seek to tackle some difficult major issues of public concern and exert significant influence over socioeconomic development, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said on Feb. 28.
The reform will give priority to key sectors and areas and come up with targeted and strong measures that are wide-ranging and touch upon deeply vested interests, he added.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Relocation projects help boost income of residents
An increasing number of people who participated in State-sponsored mass relocation projects, aimed at curbing some of China’s most entrenched poverty, have landed jobs near their new homes, with their income rising much faster than the average for rural residents nationwide, authorities said.
The employment rate of the 9.6 million people who moved out of their isolated hometowns to live closer to factories and schools during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period, as part of the nation’s sweeping poverty-alleviation drive, reached 94.46 percent by the end of 2022, up 2.54 percentage points year-on-year, Xinhua News Agency reported on Feb. 28.
From: CHINA DAILY
March 2023
Chinese prosecutors highlight juvenile protection in case handling
Chinese prosecutors have been taking a prudent approach to handling criminal cases involving juveniles, delivering targeted services to help them mend their ways and successfully re-enter into society.
Procuratorates have been implementing the policy of education, persuasion and redemption in handling juvenile delinquency cases, said Tong Jianming, deputy procurator-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate (SPP), at a press conference on March 1.
From: Xinhua
Solid policies set to ensure stability of employment, official says
China’s job market had a good start in the first two months of 2023 and is expected to stay stable this year as the country’s economy continues to recover, with fundamentals remaining sound and the government taking effective measures to support employment.
“The job market’s performance in the first two months was better than expected,” Wang Xiaoping, minister of human resources and social security, said at a news conference in Beijing on March 2. “Migrant workers looked forward to resuming work during the Spring Festival holiday in January, and companies launched recruitment campaigns to help them resume production soon after the holiday.”
From: China Daily
China inaugurates national university for the aged
Elderly people in China will have the opportunity to continue their education in a national-level university from the 2023 spring semester onwards.
The establishment of The Seniors University of China (SUC) for the aged is a concrete measure to address population aging in China and an important milestone in the reform and development of education for the elderly, said China’s Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng, at the inauguration ceremony on March 3.
From: Xinhua
China steps up judicial protection for women, children: reports
China’s judicial authorities have stepped up protection of the rights and interests of women and children, dealing with domestic violence with stronger measures and taking a zero-tolerance stance for crimes against minors.
Over the past five years, nearly 9 million marriage- and family-related cases were concluded across the country, and 13,000 personal protection orders were issued, according to a report submitted by the top court to the national legislature for deliberation on March 7.
From: Xinhua
Tibet boarding schools narrow the rural-urban education gap
The boarding school system in Tibet has maximized education opportunities for the children of farmers and herdsmen in remote areas of the region, and decades of practice have fully proved that, said Talo, director of the social and economic research institute of China Tibetology Research Center.
“As one of the universal teaching models in the human history of education, boarding schools are commonplace in both Chinese and European history. We should not deny this educational model just because astonishing tragedies once happened in colonial-era residential schools in Canada, Australia, and the United States,” he said.
Talo made the remarks on a side session held by the Society for Human Rights Studies on March 9 at the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s basic medical insurance fund balance surpasses 4 trillion yuan
China’s basic medical insurance fund recorded an accumulated balance of 4.25 trillion yuan (about $610.15 billion) at the end of 2022, statistics from the National Healthcare Security Administration showed on March 9.
The income and expenditure of the fund hit nearly 3.07 trillion yuan and 2.44 trillion yuan, respectively, in 2022, according to the administration.
From: Xinhua
China’s forest coverage rate hits 24%
The forest coverage rate in China has reached about 24 percent, with 231 million hectares of forests. And 265 million hectares of grassland cover about 50 percent of the country’s land areas, according to a report released by the National Afforestation Committee on March 12.
The day marks the 45th National Tree Planting Day.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Experts give testimony on women’s rights at HRC session
China is empowering women by amending protection laws and eliminating discrimination to promote gender equality and social progress, experts said at a sideline event of the ongoing 52nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland on March 13.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s food security well guaranteed: Premier
China’s food security is well guaranteed on the whole, and China will make sure that the rice bowls of its 1.4 billion people will always be firmly held in their own hands, Premier Li Qiang said on March 13.
The annual grain output in China has remained steady at over 650 million tonnes for eight years in a row, Li told a press conference.
From: Xinhua
Employment-first policy remains a priority, premier says
China will continue implementing its employment-first policy to stabilize the job market, and the growing “talent dividend” brought by increasing schooling years for laborers will boost the nation’s economic development, according to the premier.
Premier Li Qiang said at a news conference on March 13 in Beijing that employment is the foundation of people’s livelihood, and the fundamental way to tackle employment issues is to develop the economy.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese groups take part in human rights talks in Geneva
Representatives from international and non-governmental organizations from China and abroad attended a forum in Geneva on March 14 to discuss the participation of non-governmental organizations in the promotion of human rights protection and global development.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Co-hosts included the China NGO Network for International Exchanges, the Geneva Agape Foundation, the Chinese Association For International Understanding, the China Foundation for Rural Development and the Peaceland Foundation.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Regulation to ensure safety at nurseries
China’s top health authority has released its first regulation on home nursery care providers as part of its efforts to develop various childcare services to alleviate pressure on parents and lift birthrates.
The National Health Commission published a trial rule on home nursery care providers — agencies that transform residential places into nursery care facilities for children aged three and under — on March 15. The document is soliciting public opinion until April 14.
From: China Daily
Chinese courts step up protection for e-consumers’ rights, interests
Chinese courts at all levels concluded 32,000 first-instance cases related to online shopping contract disputes in 2022, a significant increase from the 12,000 in 2018, according to the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) on March 15.
Over the past five years, courts across China concluded 99,000 cases of first instance arising from disputes over online shopping contracts, and 23,000 concerning service contract disputes, He Xiaorong, vice president of the SPC, told a press conference.
From: Xinhua
Legislation framework keeping cyberspace safe
China has consolidated its legal system for cyberspace governance over the years, providing a strong institutional guarantee for building the country’s strength in cyberspace, officials said while introducing a white paper.
Titled “China’s Law-Based Cyberspace Governance in the New Era”, the paper was issued by the State Council Information Office on March 16.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s democracy beneficial to sustainable development
Democracy, a model of governance that reflects and responds to the needs of its citizens, is significant and beneficial to sustainable development, experts and scholars agreed at an international forum on democracy held in Beijing on March 22.
“Democracy is a method of governance in which all people participate to ensure the interests of the majority are met,” Jiao Shixin, professor of China studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences told the 2nd International Forum on Democracy: Shared Human Values.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s higher education enrollment ratio reaches 59.6 percent in 2022
The gross enrollment ratio in China’s higher education reached 59.6 percent in 2022, up 1.8 percentage points from 2021, the Ministry of Education said on March 23.
There were over 46.55 million students at higher-educational institutions including universities, colleges and vocational education facilities across the country as of 2022, the ministry told a press conference.
From: Xinhua
Seminar on Chinese democracy, human rights protection held in Hunan
A seminar on Chinese democracy and human rights protection was held on March 26 in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province.
More than 30 experts and scholars from research institutions and related organizations attended the meeting.
From: Xinhua
April 2023
Chinese doctors treat 290 million patients in foreign aid over six decades
China has dispatched medical teams totaling 30,000 members to 76 countries and regions over the past six decades, providing 290 million diagnoses and treatments for local people, according to a symposium held in Beijing on April 6.
Currently, Chinese medical teams work at 115 sites in 56 countries, nearly half of which are in remote areas with harsh conditions, said the international symposium marking the 60th anniversary of dispatching the first China Medical Team to Africa.
From: Xinhua
China Focus: China committed to achieving health for all
As this year’s World Health Day falls on April 7 under the theme of “Health for All,” China has been sparing no efforts in achieving that goal.
Over the past decades, the world has witnessed China’s accomplishments in building a healthy China. Average life expectancy, a key gauge of the health level of a country’s residents, has increased from 35 years in 1949 to 78.2 years in 2021 in China. Its basic medical insurance covers over 1.3 billion people. Severe infectious diseases, including smallpox, polio, and malaria, were eradicated in the country.
In the meantime, China has been sharing its public health successes with the globe, staying true to the initiative of building a global community of health for all.
From: Xinhua
China’s Xizang basically builds all-inclusive Tibetan medicine service system
Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region has basically established a Tibetan medicine service system that covers the whole region, said the regional health commission on April 8.
Tibetan medicine services can now be provided by all the region’s community health service centers, 94.4 percent of its township hospitals and 42.4 percent of its village clinics.
From: Xinhua
Chinese vice premier stresses spring agricultural production, rural healthcare system construction
Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong has urged advancing spring agricultural production and strengthening rural medical and healthcare services to ensure national food security and people’s health to bolster the sustained economic recovery.
Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in east Chinese provinces of Anhui and Zhejiang from April 9 to April 11.
From: Xinhua
Over 170,000 people in China’s Gansu relocated to safer regions
More than 170,000 people in northwest China’s Gansu Province have moved out of areas prone to geological disasters since a relocation project started in 2022, the provincial government said on April 10.
Gansu is one of the most ecologically fragile regions in China. Highly ecologically sensitive areas account for 12.14 percent of the province’s total land area, while areas prone to geological disasters account for more than half of the total.
From: Xinhua
China to ship climate change aids to developing nations
China will soon ship a series of aids to three developing nations to help beef up their capabilities to cope with climate change, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
In moves to implement its plan to ramp up South-South Cooperation on climate change, China will provide 5,000 sets of solar power generation systems for household use and 300 metric tons of cement for seawall construction for the Pacific island nation of Kiribati, the ministry said in a media release on April 11.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Experts discuss diabetes prevention at event
Health experts, diabetes patients and industry insiders said on April 11 promoting healthy lifestyles, training grassroots doctors on tailoring insulin therapies and developing novel and more affordable medicines are some of the key tasks to tackle diabetes in China.
China has an estimated 141 million adults living with diabetes, accounting for one-fourth of all people living with the disease worldwide according to data released by the International Diabetes Federation in 2021.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Specifications released for minors’ social work
The Supreme People’s Procuratorate and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League issued specifications for minors’ justice social work services on April 14, aiming to protect the rights and interests of juvenile victims as well as offenders.
From: China Daily
China’s State Council discusses improvement on employment support policies
China’s State Council has discussed ways to improve the policies and measures that help stabilize employment, according to a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang on April 14.
The meeting also adopted a draft revision of the regulations on the management of commercial cryptography.
From: Xinhua
Experts hail nation’s progress in advancing global human rights
China has made great achievements in protecting human rights, and initiatives proposed by the country will play a pivotal role in the global governance of human rights, experts said at a recent conference.
During the Symposium on the Global Governance of Human Rights and the Role of NGOs, held in Beijing on April 17, scholars and representatives of think tanks and journalists from eight countries discussed the right to development on the human rights agenda of the United Nations, practices of different countries in promoting and protecting the right to development and the experiences of NGOs in promoting and protecting human rights.
The symposium was organized by China NGO Network for International Exchanges.
From: China Daily Global
Schools must do background checks on staff, ministry says
The Ministry of Education has asked schools and universities to conduct mandatory background checks on candidates who work on campuses for sexual crimes before they are hired.
For primary and secondary schools, when they plan to hire staff, they need to submit an application to the local education authorities to check the national teacher management information system whether the candidates have committed sex crimes, said a notice issued by the ministry on April 20.
From: China Daily
China to boost digital healthcare services further
China will transform and upgrade its healthcare sector further in a more digitalized, internet-oriented and smarter fashion, a Chinese health official said at the International Health Industry Forum of Boao Forum for Asia on April 21.
National Health Commission official Tang Yonglin said that China is on its way to delivering on a range of targets and launching a series of campaigns to comprehensively boost digital health services during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25).
These targets include cost-efficiently building a support system for digital infrastructure, improving the system of standards for public health information, and advancing Internet Plus Healthcare initiatives, Tang said.
From: Xinhua
Lawmakers discuss rights protection of overseas Chinese
China’s State Council has proposed to draft national legislation on the protection of the rights and interests of overseas Chinese in its report submitted to the country’s top legislature for review.
Since 2015, 10 provincial-level regions across China, including Guangdong, Fujian, Shanghai and Hubei have introduced regulations on the protection of overseas Chinese who come back to the country, gaining practical experience in promoting national legislation and paving the way to draft a national law in this regard, according to the State Council’s report on Chinese nationals overseas.
The report is being discussed at the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress from April 24 to April 26.
From: China Daily
China creates 2.97 million new jobs in first quarter
China added 2.97 million new urban jobs nationwide in the first quarter of the year, with surveyed urban unemployment rate at 5.3 percent in March, indicating that the employment situation in the country remains generally stable, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on April 24.
As part of efforts to optimize policies and measures to stabilize employment, China will continue to implement favorable employment policies until the end of 2024. It is estimated that the burden for enterprises will be reduced by 180 billion yuan ($26 billion) on average annually, according to the press conference.
From: CGTN
Li urges steps to bolster growth of border regions
Premier Li Qiang has called for stronger steps to bolster the growth of China’s border regions, consolidate the outcomes from the poverty alleviation campaign and enable the people and regions to become more prosperous.
Speaking during a three-day fact-finding trip to the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Yunnan province, which started on April 24, Li reiterated the need for the nation to focus on high-quality development and foster a new development pattern.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Lawmakers discuss revision of barrier-free law draft
The draft law on the construction of a barrier-free environment was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, for a second review on April 24, which aims to get more people with disabilities and the elderly more involved in social activities.
The draft law was submitted to the NPC’s Standing Committee for the first review in October.
Some amendments were made after the first review with opinions and suggestions collected from the public. In the past few months, officials from the Constitution and Law Committee also paid visits to places such as Chongqing municipality and Guangdong province to listen to opinions from NPC deputies from all walks of life and representatives of disabled people.
From: China Daily
More than 52,000 college graduates to be hired as teachers in rural areas
China plans to hire 52,300 college graduates this year to work as primary and middle school teachers at under-developed rural areas in central and western regions, a notice said on April 25.
The notice, issued by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance, said the special recruitment effort is expected to improve the teaching quality in rural schools and increase the number of teachers in subjects such as physical education, foreign languages, science and art.
The recruitment drive is mainly seeking teachers for schools in once-impoverished regions, counties undergoing the rural vitalization efforts and those inhabited by minority ethnic groups.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Diplomats from 14 countries visit Kashi
A covey of foreign diplomats from 14 countries on April 28 concluded a fiveday visit to northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, witnessing how people’s livelihood and human rights conditions have improved and cultures of ethnic minority groups have been preserved.
The journey began with Kashi, an ancient city in the far west of Xinjiang. It is home to nearly 4.6 million people and 13 ethnic groups, including the Uygur, Han, Tajik and Hui.
From: CGTN
May 2023
China creates over 2.5 million new jobs for fresh graduates
As of May 3, about 2.53 million new jobs had been created for Chinese college graduates this year via an employment promotion campaign, said the Ministry of Education on May 6.
The ministry launched the campaign last November, with 2,415 universities and colleges participating in the initiative.
From: Xinhua
China aims to increase mental health facilities in schools by 2025
Ninety-five percent of schools and universities in China are to be equipped with psychology teachers by 2025, as the country takes more steps to strengthen mental health education of students, a new guideline said on May 11.
The guideline, jointly issued by the Ministry of Education and 16 other departments, said mental health should be given more attention, and mental health education should be included at all levels of schooling, with efforts made from schools, families and society as a whole.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Barrier-free policies extended to copyright
China is extending the concept of a barrier-free environment beyond simply provisions for physical needs.
China has just marked the first anniversary of the implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty on May 5 — the first and only human rights treaty in the field of copyright around the world — after it took effect in the nation last year.
Li Chen, a professor from the Law School of Renmin University of China, said at a forum on constructing a barrier-free environment on May 11 in Beijing that the implementation of the treaty has extended people’s understanding of the barrier-free environment from only physical needs to allowing copyright exceptions for visually impaired people so they can access copyrighted books and other works.
From: China Daily
China continues promoting employment around graduation season
China’s Ministry of Education will hold a special employment promotional campaign from May to August to ensure high-quality and full employment among college graduates this year.
The campaign around graduation season will focus on five tasks, including creating more jobs, improving employment guidance, and strengthening assistance for key groups, the ministry said on May 15.
From: Xinhua
China to provide trainee jobs for college graduates, young people
China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and another nine government agencies on May 15 jointly issued a circular on increasing trainee jobs for young people, including college graduates.
This year, the country plans to offer no fewer than 1 million trainee posts to college graduates not employed within two years of leaving education, as well as other young people aged 16 to 24, according to an MHRSS official.
From: Xinhua
China’s top legislature to inspect wetlands conservation law enforcement
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, will send lawmakers to six provinces between May and July to inspect the enforcement of the Wetlands Conservation Law.
Meanwhile, the NPC Standing Committee will also entrust local legislature in eight other provincial-level regions with law enforcement inspection, according to a meeting of the law enforcement inspection groups of the NPC Standing Committee on May 16.
According to the meeting, lawmakers will inspect law enforcement from seven aspects, including how local governments and related authorities fulfill their statutory duties of protecting wetlands and wetlands’ utilization and restoration.
From: Xinhua
Disability rights NGO to host centennial events in Beijing
Rehabilitation International will organize a series of events and forums in Beijing from May 19 to May 23 to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
A non-governmental and non-profitable world organization initiated in the United States in 1922, Rehabilitation International has made great contributions to protecting the rights of people with disabilities. The China Disabled Persons’ Federation joined the organization as a member in 1988.
The federation’s president, Zhang Haidi, was elected as president of Rehabilitation International in 2016.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
76th World Health Assembly: China vows to enhance international health cooperation
China will continue enhancing international cooperation to safeguard global health security and advance the establishment of a global community of health for all, a Chinese senior official from the National Health Commission (NHC) said at the press conference of the 76th World Health Assembly held on May 20.
The World Health Assembly, which convenes annually in Geneva, Switzerland, serves as the decision-making body for the World Health Organization (WHO). This year’s assembly will take place from May 21 to May 30.
During the assembly, the Chinese delegation will engage in the evaluation of more than 70 proposals related to preparedness and response to public health emergencies, universal health coverage, noncommunicable diseases, and the proposed program budget for 2024-2025, among other topics.
From: CGTN
Xi extends greetings to people with disabilities
President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Rehabilitation International Centennial Celebration in Beijing on May 21, China’s 33rd national day of assisting disabled people.
Xi extended greetings to all individuals with disabilities, their families and relatives, and to those who are dedicated to serving disabled people across the nation. He also expressed gratitude to all international organizations and individuals who care for and support the cause of empowering people with disabilities in China.
From: China Daily
Xi praises volunteers, urges public effort in trash sorting
President Xi Jinping has called for promoting trash sorting as a new trend of low-carbon life amid the nation’s efforts to improve people’s living environment and advance ecological conservation.
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remark on May 21 in a letter of reply to volunteers who are engaged in trash sorting in a residential community in Shanghai’s Hongkou district.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China releases document on advancing elderly care system
Chinese authorities released a set of guidelines for facilitating the building of the basic elderly care system on May 21.
The document, released jointly by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council General Office, emphasized that facilitating the building of this system bears great importance in China’s efforts to pursue a proactive national strategy in response to population aging and ensure equitable access to public services.
According to the guidelines, basic elderly care services consist of material assistance, nursing, and caregiving services, among others. They are provided directly by the government or by parties supported by the government.
From: Xinhua
Rehabilitation International issues landmark declaration on rights of disabled in Beijing
Rehabilitation International published the Beijing Declaration at its centennial celebration on May 21, which was also China’s 33rd national day of assisting disabled persons.
Under the declaration, the organization requests authorities and the world at large to promote humanitarianism and improve legislation to eliminate discrimination against and protect the rights of disabled people.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Xi sends congratulatory letter to Rehabilitation International Centennial Celebration
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Rehabilitation International (RI) Centennial Celebration on May 21.
He extended warm regards to persons with disabilities, their relatives and personnel working for them, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to international organizations and people from all sides that care about and support the cause of persons with disabilities in China.
From: CGTN
China raises pension payments, issues guidance for basic elderly care system
China announced on May 22 that it will raise the basic pension payments for retirees in 2023, marking the 19th consecutive annual increase.
The average monthly payment for pensioners of enterprises, government agencies and public institutions is set to be lifted by 3.8 percent from the 2022 level, according to a circular jointly issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance.
Last year, China raised the basic pension payments for retirees by 4 percent from the level of the previous year.
From: CGTN
Forum on Xizang’s development opens in Beijing
A forum on the development of Xizang opened on May 23 in Beijing to pool wisdom for further development of the autonomous region in Southwest China.
The one-day forum, jointly hosted by the State Council Information Office and the regional government of Xizang, brings together officials, experts, and representatives of enterprises and media organizations from home and abroad.
The forum focuses on Xizang’s new chapter in high-quality development and human rights protection.
Five sub-forums are scheduled to be held to discuss topics including whole-process people’s democracy, high-quality development, as well as Xizang’s culture and ecological civilization.
From: Xinhua
Xizang urged to accelerate high-quality development
President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter on May 23 to a forum on the development of the Xizang autonomous region and urged the region to accelerate high-quality development in the new era and make sure people in the region can live a better life.
“People’s happiness is the ultimate human right, while development holds the key to delivering better lives to the people,” Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said in the letter to congratulate the opening of the 2023 Forum on the Development of Xizang, China. Xizang is the name of Tibet in Chinese.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Job fair for disabled people held in Beijing
Over 100 government-affiliated institutions in Beijing teamed up on May 24 to hold a job fair for people with disabilities, the first of its kind in the city, Beijing Daily reported.
A total of 107 positions were offered at the event organized by the city’s Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and the Beijing Disabled Persons’ Federation. All job vacancies were open for handicapped people regardless of their degree and category of disability, with requirements on age and education level of job seekers lowered.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China wins WHO public health award for elderly healthcare promotion
A national center under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention was honored with a public health award by the World Health Organization (WHO) on May 26 for its contribution to promoting healthcare for the elderly.
The WHO awarded the 2023 public health prizes and awards to individuals and institutions worldwide at the ongoing 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva.
From: CGTN
Courts’ info sharing system to protect minors
Chinese courts will set up an information sharing system with bodies and associations that have close contact with children in order to exchange tips and leads on minors that may need legal assistance, so as to strongly protect their legitimate rights and interests.
The Supreme People’s Court, the country’s top court, announced the decision on May 29 while introducing how courts at all levels took measures to assist children in case handling over the past three years.
From: China Daily
Courts spend 426 million yuan to help minors with cases
More than 10,000 children received legal assistance from Chinese courts between 2020 and 2022 after they or their families had trouble with case handling, an official with China’s top court said on May 29.
During the period, courts nationwide gave minors 426 million yuan ($60.2 million) to dealing with cases involving matters such as injuries caused by traffic accidents or mental problems due to issues at home, according to Kong Ling, head of the Compensation Committee Office with the Supreme People’s Court.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Arab League officials see different Xinjiang from the one portrayed by West
A delegation of diplomats and officials from the Arab League and its Secretariat said that they witnessed a different Xinjiang from the one that has been portrayed by Western media.
After attending the 18th senior officials’ meeting and the 7th senior official-level strategic political dialogue of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, the 34-member group visited northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from May 30 to June 2.
From: Xinhua
Guideline gives support to juveniles
Chinese courts should educate divorcing parents to ensure their underage children can obtain care and support from their families, according to a new guideline.
The 24-article guideline on family education was issued by the Supreme People’s Court, China’s top court, and the All-China Women’s Federation on May 30, aiming to offer stronger protection for children by urging their parents or guardians to fulfill their duties.
If juvenile delinquency or misconduct by children’s guardians is discovered, courts will also be allowed to educate the family, said the guideline, which will take effect on June 1.
From: China Daily
Children get festive message
President Xi Jinping extended festive greetings to children across the nation on May 31, encouraging them to seek all-around development in their moral grounding, intellectual ability, physical vigor, aesthetic sensibility and work skills, and dedicate themselves to the cause of national rejuvenation.
Xi conveyed the message during a visit to Beijing Yuying School ahead of International Children’s Day, which falls on June 1. The visit came days after Xi presided over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on building China into a leading nation in education.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
June 2023
Healthcare drive started for orphans in Africa
Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping, joined hands with the Organization of African First Ladies for Development to initiate a healthcare campaign for orphans in Africa ahead of International Children’s Day, which fell on June 1.
Under the initiative, representatives from Chinese embassies in African countries and Chinese medical teams sent to African countries will visit local orphanages or al-lied institutions to facilitate and conduct free physical check-ups. They will also bring the children care packages.
From: China Daily
Environment in Xizang remains in good health
The Xizang autonomous region continues to rank among the best places in the world for ecological quality, and its ecological and environmental quality are gener-ally in good condition, according to the region’s 2022 Environmental Bulletin, which was released on June 5.
The bulletin, released by the regional department of environment and ecology, noted that the Sanjiangyuan National Park project has been approved by the central government, and the national parks of Changthang and Qomolangma (known as Mount Everest in the West) have been making steady progress.
From: China Daily
China announces 81 pilot regions for integrated medical services
Eighty-one cities and districts have been announced as pilot regions for providing integrated and continuous medical and health services for their residents, according to China’s National Health Commission on June 9.
The pilot regions, including Beijing’s Chaoyang district and the city of Datong in North China’s Shanxi province, will be built into integrated urban medical groups that can provide services such as disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, nutrition, reha-bilitation, nursing and health management for residents within the region.
From: Xinhua
Book of Xi’s discourses on work for women, children published
A compilation of excerpts from discourses by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, on the work related to women and children as well as the work of women’s federations has been published by the Central Party Literature Press.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to work related to wom-en’s development and has been making vigorous efforts in this regard, according to the publisher’s statement on June 11.
From: Xinhua
Xi sends congratulatory letter to forum on global human rights gov-ernance
Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 14 sent a congratulatory letter to the Forum on Global Human Rights Governance.
At a time of severe challenges facing the global human rights governance, China stands for safeguarding human rights with security, respecting the sovereignty and ter-ritorial integrity of all countries, calling on all countries to follow the path of peaceful development, and putting into action the Global Security Initiative, Xi noted in the letter.
From: Xinhua
Cooperation on human rights urged
Countries should intensify cooperation and stick to their own reality in safeguard-ing their people’s human rights, including the rights to subsistence and development, officials and experts said at a human rights forum that opened on June 14 in Beijing.
The two-day Forum on Global Human Rights Governance is themed “Equality, Cooperation and Development: The 30th Anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action and Global Human Rights Governance.” It is jointly hosted by the Information Office of the State Council, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the China International Development Cooperation Agency.
From: China Daily
Chinese envoy calls for respect for diversity of civilizations
A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on June 14 called for respecting the di-versity of human civilizations, as diversity is a fundamental feature of the world and the source of human progress, he said.
“Believing that one’s own civilization is superior to others and insisting on trans-forming or even replacing other civilizations is both foolish in understanding and disastrous in practice,” Zhang Jun, China’s permanent representative to the UN, told the UN Security Council during a meeting on “The Values of Human Fraternity in Promoting and Sustaining Peace”.
From: China Daily Global
Experts hail fast growth of Xizang at expo forum
Xizang enjoys a prosperous and harmonious environment, featuring political and social stability, and strong economic development, said a top official of the autono-mous region during a forum held in Lhasa on June 17.
It also has ethnic unity, religious harmony, border consolidation and has seen improvement in people’s livelihoods, said Wang Junzheng, Party secretary of the Xi-zang autonomous region. His views were echoed by foreign experts who attended the forum.
From: China Daily
Afghanistan willing to model after China’s Xinjiang developmentand dismiss bias, forum hears
Afghanistan is willing to replicate the development of China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and improve people’s living standards, a forum heard, while speakers dismiss Western disinformation on the region.
Afghan Deputy Minister of Economy Abdul Latif Nazari said China has neutral-ized biased or false Western propaganda against Xinjiang by uplifting education and culture and speeding up economic development of its largest autonomous region.
He was speaking at a webinar titled “International Forum on Xinjiang Modern-ization Drive from a Global Perspective” on June 21. It was organized by Asian In-stitute of Ecocivilization Research and Development (AIERD), Schiller Institute and Belt and Road Institute in Sweden (BRIX) and moderated by Shakeel Ahmad Ramay from AIERD.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Xie Feng: all countries should respect each other’s human rights phi-losophy
Respecting human rights means respecting other countries’ human rights philos-ophy, and China advocates safeguarding human rights through security, promoting them through development, and advancing them through cooperation, Beijing’s top envoy in Washington said.
China is committed to a human rights development path that meets the trend of the times and suits its national conditions, China’s Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng told the 53rd Regular Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of Ameri-can States, a three-day event that ended in Washington on June 23.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China steadfast in fighting drug-related crimes
China’s stance on fighting drug-related crimes, including those connected to fentanyl, remains firm, and the country has also strengthened cooperation and made progress in the global battle against illegal drugs, authorities said.
The country has “zero tolerance” toward illegal drugs and has staunchly support-ed and implemented the three United Nations drug control conventions, the China National Narcotics Control Commission said.
China always honors its political commitments and calls on all countries to actively work together in addressing the drug problem, the commission said in a state-ment ahead of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which fell on June 26.
From: China Daily
China mulls accountability system on marine environment protection
Chinese lawmakers are deliberating a draft revision to the Marine Environment Protection Law with new provisions on adopting accountability and assessment mech-anisms.
The draft revision was submitted on June 26 to the ongoing session of the Stand-ing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, for a sec-ond reading. The first reading took place in December 2022.
From: Xinhua
China mulls new legislation to safeguard food safety
Chinese lawmakers June 26 started deliberating a draft food security law to en-hance China’s capacity for forestalling and fending off food security risks.
The proposed legislation was submitted to the Standing Committee of the Na-tional People’s Congress for the first reading during the legislature’s ongoing session, which runs from June 26 to June 28.
From: Xinhua
China makes great progress in combating trafficking in women and children: expert
China has attached great importance to protecting the rights of women and chil-dren and has made great progress in combating trafficking in women and children, a Chinese expert told the ongoing 53rd session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on June 28.
During an interactive dialogue with the UN Special Rapporteur on human traf-ficking, Bianba Lamu, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a member of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said that the number of cases of human trafficking crimes in China dropped by 88.3 percent from 2013 to 2021.
From: Xinhua
NPC passes law on development of barrier-free areas
A law mandating the construction of barrier-free environments was passed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress at the closing ceremony of its latest session on June 28.
The law lays out plans for the development of barrier-free facilities and the offer-ing of barrier-free services. It also stipulates the government’s supervisory role and the legal liabilities that could be incurred by those violating the law, which will take effect
on Sept. 1.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
CSHRS executive VP Jiang Jianguo meets with Mexican delegation
On the afternoon of June 30, Jiang Jianguo, member of the standing committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), vice-director of the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the CPPCC and executive vice-president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS), met with a Mexican delegation led by Cristopher Ballinas Valdés, director general for human rights and democracy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mex-ico, in Beijing. The two sides exchanged views on the two countries’ human rights concepts, human rights development practices, and exchange and cooperation among think tanks in the field of human rights.
Li Xiaojun, deputy secretary-general of the CSHRS, Qi Mingjie, director of the secretariat of the CSHRS, Qiu Congyang, a deputy section director of the Internation-al Department of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Jesús Enrique Escamilla Nú.ez, deputy head of mission of the Embassy of Mexico to China, among others, were present at the meeting.
From: en.humanrights.cn
Envoy emphasizes China’s endeavor to promote international human rights cause
China has always been committed to safeguarding international solidarity, pro-moting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and building a better world together, a Chinese envoy said on June 28.
Chen Xu, permanent representative of China to the UN Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, made the remarks at the ongoing 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, emphasizing that unity, rather than division, and cooperation, rather than confrontation, are essential for promoting the healthy de-velopment of the international human rights cause.
The session held an interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity on June 28.
From: Xinhua
July 2023
China has 40 national-level medical emergency response teams: NHC
China now has 40 national-level medical emergency response teams and 6,500 medical emergency response teams at the provincial, municipal and county level, the National Health Commission (NHC) said at a press conference on July 3.
The NHC and the National Development and Reform Commission have been jointly promoting the construction of emergency medical aid bases and bases for ma-jor infectious disease prevention and treatment, according to the press conference.
In its “Healthy China 2030” outline, China plans to set up a nationwide emer-gency medical network by 2030, with the country’s capabilities in emergency health response and emergency medical aid reaching the level of developed countries.
From: Xinhua
Zhejiang hopes to bridge urban-rural gap
The recent move by Zhejiang province to ease restrictions for non-locals to ob-tain permanent residency in most cities of the province will attract more rural people to settle in urban areas and further bridge the urban-rural divide, said experts.
According to an official document published online on July 3 by the provincial government, restrictive policies related to residency applications in all of Zhejiang’s cities — except for the provincial capital, Hangzhou — were to be abolished starting July 22.
In particular, it was announced in the six-part circular that restrictions for rural residents to live permanently in cities had been further relaxed. From: China Daily
Chinese police bust over 3,300 dens for telecom, online fraud
Chinese police have busted over 3,300 criminal dens for telecom and online fraud in a recent campaign on the issue, according to the Ministry of Public Security on July
4. The campaign, with joint efforts of public security authorities in Shandong, Henan, Hubei, and Hunan provinces, has seen a number of criminal suspects arrested. Around 104,000 sets of fraud equipment, including mobile phones and comput-ers, and over 58 million yuan (around 8.05 million U.S. dollars) worth of cash and
virtual currency were confiscated in the campaign.
From: Xinhua
China dispatches 3,600 medical workers abroad in 5 years
China dispatched nearly 3,600 medical workers abroad via international medical aid teams between 2018 and 2022, serving 9.56 million patients, according to a work meeting held on July 4 in Changsha, Central China’s Hunan province.
The meeting was held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of China sending the first international medical aid team. China has dispatched about 30,000 medical workers to 76 countries and regions across the world over the past 60 years, providing medical services to 290 million patients, according to the meeting.
From: Xinhua
China provides employment, education guidance to 580,000 commu-nity-correction subjects
Since China enacted its community correction law three years ago, the country’s judicial administrative agencies have provided employment or education guidance for 580,000 community correction subjects, according to a press conference on July 5.
Community correction targets criminals who are sentenced to public surveillance, given a reprieve, released on parole, or permitted to temporarily serve their sentences outside prison per the law.
From: Xinhua
Beijing authorities conduct checks for worker heat wave protections
Beijing governmental authorities have conducted supervisory visits to key in-dustries, including construction and environmental sanitation, to ensure the health of workers in high temperatures on July 5.
The checks started in June and will last for three months, according to the Beijing Institute of Health Supervision under the Beijing Health Commission.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Online platform aids overseas litigants
A one-stop online platform aimed at serving overseas residents engaged in family disputes was opened by Longhua District People’s Court in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on July 6.
The platform was set up to mark the one-year anniversary of the Shenzhen Fam-ily Trial Center Involving Hong Kong-Macao-Taiwan and Foreign Factors, a division of the court established on July 6, 2022.
As a division of the court, the center is responsible for handling first-instance cross-border family disputes, including those related to divorce, child custody, inheri-tance and property allocation.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China fosters health crisis management with new medical emergency panel
The National Health Commission, China’s top health authority, announced on July 6 that it has established a national-level medical emergency expert panel. This move is part of the efforts to improve the country’s overall capability in handling health emergencies.
In a notice released on its official website, the commission detailed the roles of the panel. It will provide policy suggestions and technical support on building the na-tional medical emergency response system. Furthermore, it will participate in on-site response and treatment missions to handle acute health events. Additionally, the panel will help formulate related management and technical protocols.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China mulls new rules to address cyber violence, bullying
China is mulling a new regulation to address cyber violence and bullying content, which requires online service providers to monitor relevant content and take timely steps to deal with it.
The Cyberspace Administration of China published a draft of the regulation on July 6 to solicit opinions from the public.
From: Xinhua
Ministry of Education advises to make the most of safety educationthis summer
The Ministry of Education has asked local education authorities and schools to make the most efforts to prevent safety accidents of students during summer vacation.
In a notice issued on July 7, the ministry said schools should conduct a safety education and warning event on all students before the summer vacation, focusing on drowning, fire, traffic accident, food poison, natural disaster, fraud, online addiction, bullying and sexual assault, the notice said.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Medical experts boost Xizang cardiac health
A total of 453 medical experts and more than 100 volunteers gathered in Cham-do, Xizang autonomous region, on July 8, kicking off the 2023 edition of the China Hearts program.
The program, first launched in 2008, is a public welfare service that brings doc-tors from hospitals in major cities and also donates medical supplies to remote regions of China.
This year, the program will last a week, during which time the doctors and vol-unteers are going to 11 districts or counties in Chamdo, offering free medical support including diagnosis, treatment and health checkup.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Jiang Jianguo meets with head of Taiwan’s human rights association
On the morning of July 10, Jiang Jianguo, member of the standing committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), vice-director of the Committee for Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the CPPCC and executive vice-president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS), met with Gao Sibo, director-general of Taiwan’s Chinese Association for Human Rights in Beijing. The two sides exchanged views on cross-Strait academic exchange and cooperation in the field of human rights.
Tang Xianwen, secretary-general of the CSHRS, also attended the meeting.
From: en.humanrights.cn
Unleashing the power of gender equality in China
The United Nations Population Fund in China, China Population and Develop-ment Research Center and China Population Association organized a seminar in Bei-jing on July 11 to mark the 34th World Population Day.
Themed “Unleashing the power of women amid the new normal of population dynamics in China,” the seminar brought together over 100 experts. Drawing on inter-national experience, it shared findings on gender equality and women’s development in China, and called for the government, public and private sectors to join hands to in-vest in gender equality and empower women to exert their rights freely in the context of low fertility and rapid population ageing in China.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China launches 3-year campaign to create jobs and boost consump-tion
China has launched a three-year campaign to create jobs and boost consumption, with thirteen departments collectively issuing an action plan on July 12 to encourage local business cultivation.
Specifically, the plan includes providing shopping, dining, and household ser-vices within a 5-10 minutes’ walk from residents’ homes.
From: CGTN
China’s public health subsidy rises from 2022 levels
China’s top health authority said on July 12 the per-capita subsidy standard for basic public health services this year will rise to 89 yuan ($12.4), up five yuan from 2022.
The National Health Commission said in a notice on its official website the in-creased amount will be mainly invested into strengthening public health services for the elderly and children.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s social organizations provide 73,000 graduate jobs in H1
Social organizations across China have employed over 73,000 graduates from January to June this year, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on July 12.
During the first half of this year, 25,000 activities in the service of employment were carried out by social organizations, which promoted the provision of 680,000 job positions for university graduates by their member units, said the ministry.
From: Xinhua
China’s Inner Mongolia reports progress in sand control
North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has made substantial prog-ress in sand control over the past 10 years, according to a seminar held on July 14.
During the 10-year period, Inner Mongolia has planted 131 million mu (about 8.7 million hectares) of trees, grown 318 million mu of grass, and treated 138 million mu of desertified and sandy land, said Wang Zhaosheng, director of the regional forestry and grassland bureau.
From: Xinhua
Countries should unite in their pursuit of human rights
The 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a reso-lution titled “The contribution of development to the enjoyment of all human rights” on July 14. In his introductory statement on the draft, Chen Xu, head of the Chinese mission to the UN in Geneva, stressed that development and human rights are interde-pendent and mutually reinforcing.
China has long upheld the basic human rights to existence and development. The Communist Party of China has always been dedicated to upholding, defending and expanding human rights, as well as enhancing a sense of fulfillment, security and hap-piness among its citizens.
From: China Daily Global
China advocates for developing countries’ interests at UN HumanRights Council
China focused its attention on defending developing countries’ interests and advocating for multilateralism at the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, which concluded on July 14.
Chinese delegations actively put forward proposals and expounded their posi-tions on issues concerning the common interests of developing countries at the meet-ings, according to Ambassador Chen Xu, China’s permanent representative to the UN office in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland. He added that their work defended global fairness and justice, and won widespread support from the international community, especially from developing countries.
The 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council kicked off on June 19 in Ge-neva, Switzerland.
From: CGTN
Foreign delegates hail Xinjiang’s employment, development environ-ment
Foreign delegates attending an international seminar in Northwest China’s Xin-jiang Uygur autonomous region hailed the sound employment and development envi-ronment of the region, where they say the rights of workers of various ethnic groups are fully protected.
Organized by the regional federation of trade unions, the international seminar on labor relations and workers’ rights and interests in Xinjiang was held from July 17 to July 19 in the regional capital Urumqi.
From: Xinhua
Healthy China Initiative meeting goals
Screening, early diagnosis and treatment programs will be stepped up, together with the promotion of healthy lifestyles, as part of efforts to tackle the rising incidence of chronic disease, a health official said on July 18.
Guo Yanhong, head of the National Health Commission’s medical emergency response department, said that China will continue to push for the integration of treat-ment and prevention efforts against chronic illnesses.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China contributes to global carbon emissions reduction in the pastten years: Report
China has made progress in achieving carbon neutrality, with its carbon emis-sions showing a downward trend in the past 10 years, according to a report published on July 26 in Beijing.
The report also mentions that in the past 10 years, global greenhouse gas emis-sions have not been effectively controlled, and the concentration of atmospheric car-bon dioxide has continued to increase at an average annual rate of about six parts per thousand.
From: CGTN
Telemedicine services cover all Chinese cities
China has made significant progress in improving medical services and health-care accessibility, according to statistics presented at a national conference on health development held in Jinan, East China’s Shandong Province, on July 29.
Notably, all residents in Chinese prefecture-level cities now have access to re-mote medical services.
Furthermore, China has established a total of 15,000 medical consortiums nation-wide and approved 125 regional medical center projects that cover all under-resourced provinces, underscoring the nation’s commitment to bridging healthcare gaps.
From: Xinhua
August 2023
Xi orders all-out rescue of people missing, trapped in floods, geologi-cal disasters
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Aug. 1 demanded all-out search and rescue ef-forts to find people missing or trapped in floods and geological disasters in an instruc-tion issued on work concerning flood prevention and disaster relief.
Xi, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, in addition demanded efforts to minimize casualties.
From: Xinhua
City projects improve livelihoods
In more than two years, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, has implemented 1,265 projects to improve people’s livelihoods, with an investment of nearly 381 billion yuan ($53 billion), according to a news conference with the theme “Happy Chengdu
— 10 Major Projects for a Better Life” that was held on the sidelines of the Chengdu FISU World University Games on Aug. 2.
The city has solved a number of livelihood concerns and has created a situation in which the elderly can age with peace of mind, young children can grow up healthi-ly and young adults can actively participate in urban modernization, said Xiang Jin, a leading official with the city’s reform and development commission.
From: China Daily
Circular lays out methods to aid vulnerable households
Flooding and other extreme weather events that have gripped many parts of China in recent months have prompted authorities to call for greater efforts to ensure financially vulnerable rural families do not suffer.
A circular released on Aug. 2 by the National Rural Revitalization Administration said local authorities can bypass some paperwork so affected rural families can access assistance and avoid backsliding into poverty “due to unforeseen circumstances.”
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Top internet regulator proposes “juvenile mode” to protect minors online
China’s top internet regulator on Aug. 2 proposed new rules to protect minors online, including requiring mobile devices, apps, and app stores to offer a “juvenile mode” with age-appropriate content and usage limits.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said the draft guidance is designed to meet the “new needs of juvenile protection in cyberspace.”
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Foreign envoys witness Xinjiang’s vibrant life, development in visit
Envoys from 25 countries, including Dominica, Myanmar, Iran, Samoa and Suri-nam, visited northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from July 31 to Aug. 4 at the invitation of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During their visit to the regional capital Urumqi, as well as Kashgar and Aksu prefectures, the diplomats affirmed that “people in Xinjiang are enjoying a happy life.” They also had the opportunity to witness Xinjiang’s impressive economic devel-opment and diverse culture, which stands in stark contrast to the falsehoods spread by certain Western media.
From: Xinhua
Beijing takes steps to reduce spread of disease after flooding
Beijing has taken five measures to protect public health and avoid the spread of disease, said Xia Linmao, vice-mayor of the capital city, in a news conference on Aug. 9.
Beijing has endeavored to treat the wounds left by the recent flooding. It has organized 12,800 medical personnel to participate in treatment and transferred more than 3,300 patients. Hospitals have arranged to have medical experts on duty all day, and special channels to track the treatment of patients affected by the storm.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Legislative progress helps safeguard environment
Over the past decade, China has sought to expedite legislation aimed at protect-ing the ecological environment, the country’s top legislature said.
Aug. 15 marked China’s first National Ecology Day, which was established at a session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, the top legislature, in late June.
China has in place more than 30 laws, over 100 sets of administrative regulations and many local regulations focused on eco-environmental protection. These efforts contribute to building sound ecological conservation systems, according to the Legis-lative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee.
From: China Daily
Experts talk about Tibetan women’s right to education
From August 14 to 16, the 7th Beijing International Seminar on Tibetan Studies was held in Beijing. Several experts highlighted that in recent years, the educational level of Tibetan women has steadily improved, and the protection of women’s rights has been progressing towards higher quality.
Relevant data shows that as of 2020, there were 3,195 schools of various types and levels in China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, with a total of 889,200 students. The consolidation rate of compulsory education reached 95.03%, and the historical achievement of dynamic zero dropouts in compulsory education was realized.
From: Ecns.cn
CPC leadership studies and arranges work on flood prevention and relief, post-disaster reconstruction
The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Chi-na (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting on Aug. 17 to study and arrange work on flood prevention and relief as well as post-disaster restoration and reconstruction. Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meet-ing and delivered an important speech.
It was noted at the meeting that late July and early August are the critical periods of flood prevention. Under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, Party committees and governments at all levels have strengthened organizational leadership and strictly performed their duties. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, together with all relevant depart-ments, has fulfilled their responsibilities and collaborated with each other, with China Fire and Rescue teams fighting at the front line, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the armed police rushing to provide emergency assistance, and a helping hand from central state-owned enterprises and different social sectors. With such concerted endeavors, the country has achieved phased success in flood prevention and disaster relief.
From: Xinhua
Health literacy rate up in 2022
The health literacy rate of Chinese people reached nearly 28 percent in 2022, up about 2.4 percentage points from the previous year, the National Health Commission said.
The figure indicates around 28 out of 100 people in China have obtained basic health knowledge.
The rate stood at only 8.8 percent in 2012 and has been rising continuously over the years, the commission said in a statement on its website on Aug. 19.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Vice-premier urges doctors to more effectively safeguard people’s health
Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong on Aug. 19 urged the country’s doctors to put the people and their lives above all else, and to more effectively safeguard people’s safety and health.
Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Cen-tral Committee, made the remarks during his visits to Beijing’s medical institutions. He visited frontline medical workers and extended greetings to the country’s doctors on China’s Doctors’ Day.
From: Xinhua
Respiratory health center launched in Beijing
The Beijing Major Respiratory Epidemic Disease Center was inaugurated on Aug. 20, the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control said in a news release.
The new center will focus on key issues in epidemic disease control and conduct research on quick diagnosis, transmission, early warning and control strategies.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Over 32 million people lifted out of poverty get employed in China
Over 32 million people lifted out of poverty have got employed in China as of July 2023, an increase of 347,900 year on year, authorities said on Aug. 20.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China and the Ministry of Hu-man Resources and Social Security of China released the data at a conference promot-ing the employment of the population who has got rid of poverty, which was held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
From: Ecns.cn
China unveils measures to ensure grain quality, safety
China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the country’s economic planner, unveiled measures to supervise grain quality and safety on Aug. 24.
These measures, which include 50 items in eight chapters, will come into effect on Oct. 1.
They aim to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of grain sellers and con-sumers, strengthen the supervision and administration of grain quality and safety in circulation, and ensure national grain quality and safety.
From: Xinhua
China inspires global green development with desert control experi-ence
The China-Arab International Research Center on Drought, Desertification and Land Degradation was inaugurated on Aug. 27 during an international forum on des-ert control, showcasing China’s commitment to sharing its expertise gained from the Kubuqi desert control.
The establishment of the research center was among the outcomes of the first China-Arab States Summit last year.
From: Xinhua
National Health Commission releases action plan to improve surgical safety
The National Health Commission on Aug. 28 released an action plan aimed at improving surgical safety and quality, as well as reducing patients’ waiting time for surgeries.
According to the document published on its official website, the commission said that incidence rates of adverse events during surgeries, such as surgical complications and perioperative death (death occurring within 30 days after surgery), should de-crease by the end of 2025.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Kindergarten students to get more space for development
China plans to officially ban kindergartens from teaching pupils primary school knowledge, a draft law said on Aug. 28.
The draft law on preschool education is being deliberated for the first time at a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. It is the first national law on preschool education and a draft usually become a law after being re-viewed by the NPC Standing Committee for three times.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China to make administrative reconsideration more convenient
China’s top legislature is considering a draft amendment to the Law on Admin-istrative Reconsideration that would make it more convenient for people to apply for reconsideration of administrative acts they believe to be wrong.
The draft amendment, which was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for a third review on Aug. 28, would allow people to submit an application for reconsideration in writing or orally, if they have difficulty writing. It would also require administrations to provide online channels for people to submit reconsideration applications if they make and send administrative decisions via the internet.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
September 2023
Prompt action ensures residents benefit from elevated quality of life
Chinese government agencies have pledged to strictly implement the law on building a barrier-free environment as they strive to make daily life more convenient for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Some government departments took measures to improve construction of acces-sible facilities and services even before the new law took effect on Sept. 1.
From: China Daily
Legal aid measures due to take effect
The revised Procedures for Handling Legal Aid Cases will take effect on Sept.1, further optimizing application procedures for legal aid and streamlining the review process, according to the Ministry of Justice.
Legal aid is a system that provides free legal advice, representation and criminal defense services to economically disadvantaged citizens and other eligible parties. The Law on Legal Aid, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2022, expanded the scope of legal aid, added forms of legal aid services and specifically regulated the procedures and imple-mentation of legal aid.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Vice Premier stresses building of government-subsidized housing
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Sept. 4 stressed efforts to address issues re-lated to government-subsidized housing to better meet people’s housing demand.
Reform and innovation should be used to tackle key issues related to govern-ment-subsidized housing, including construction scales, funds, and management. He made the remarks while addressing a teleconference on the planning and building of government-subsidized housing.
From: Xinhua
Progress achieved in Xizang exceeds expectation: FM spokesperson cites envoys as saying
Diplomatic envoys from 11 developing countries spoke highly of China’s peo-ple-centered development approach and efforts in fully safeguarding human rights of people of all ethnic groups after they paid a visit to Xizang, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Sept. 4 at a press conference.
At the invitation of China’s foreign ministry, the Geneva-based diplomatic en-voys from 11 developing countries, including Pakistan, Belarus, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, paid a visit to Xizang from Aug. 27 to Sept. 2.
The envoys said that the progress achieved in various sectors in Xizang exceeds expectation and the fruits of development are truly shared by the people there — a vivid example that a happy life for all is what human rights protection is all about, Mao said.
From: Ecns.cn
Beijing hosts mass sports meeting for people with disabilities
The 4th Beijing “Health Cup” Mass Sports Meeting for People with Disabilities opened at the Beijing Disabled People’s Culture and Sports Center on Sept. 6. The opening ceremony was attended by over 300 people, including representatives of the Beijing Disabled Persons’ Federation and the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, disabled athletes, volunteers, and people from all walks of life.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Beijing court gives financial aid to victims harmed during crimes
Since the beginning of the year, a Beijing court has provided stronger financial and judicial aid for women, children, seniors and those with disabilities who were harmed during the commission of crimes as it strives to protect human rights and help vulnerable people live better lives.
In a report issued on Sept. 7, the Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court said that it gave more than 1.98 million yuan ($270,000) of judicial relief to 35 people who applied for it from January 2022 to July this year.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China’s consistency on health lauded
China’s policy continuity has proved critical to effectively addressing the issue of unhealthy diets and all forms of malnutrition, said an official from the Food and Agri-culture Organization of the United Nations recently.
Lynnette Neufeld, director of the Food and Nutrition Division of the FAO, made the remarks during the 14th Asian Congress of Nutrition, which concluded in Cheng-du, Sichuan Province, on Sept. 17.
Neufeld praised China’s policy continuity, contrasting it with many other parts of the world where policies change too frequently as governments change.
From: China Daily
Chinese vice premier stresses importance of continued rural revital-ization work
Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong this week stressed the importance of safe-guarding the bottom line of preventing a large-scale return to poverty, and the need to promote comprehensive rural revitalization.
Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Cen-tral Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Xizang that spanned Sept. 17 to Sept. 19.
From: Xinhua
Progress in programs for people with disabilities lauded
President Xi Jinping joined more than 600 delegates from across the country on Sept. 18 at the opening ceremony of the 8th National Congress of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation in Beijing.
Xi, who is also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the event with other Party and State leaders including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning and Cai Qi. Ding Xuexiang delivered a speech at the opening ceremony on behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, China’s Cabinet.
Noting the significant achievements made in the past decade by the country’s programs for people with disabilities, Ding said that China has achieved the goal of “leaving no disabled people behind while completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects” on schedule.
From: China Daily
Experts, scholars discuss BRI contributions to global human rights cause in Geneva
A symposium focusing on the progress of the human rights cause in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation was held on Sept. 19.
At the symposium, human rights experts and scholars from China and other countries exchanged their views on the contributions of the BRI cooperation to global development and human rights progress.
The symposium, with the theme of “Joint Building of the Belt & Road and Prog-ress of Global Human Rights Cause,” was organized by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, a Chinese non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting the development of human rights cause.
From: Xinhua
Xinhua think tank report highlights China’s contribution to global human rights governance
China Society for Human Rights Studies and Xinhua Institute, Xinhua News Agency’s namesake think tank, released a report titled “For the Common Value and Dignity of All Humanity — China’s Practice of and Contribution to Global Human Rights Governance” in Beijing on September 19, 2023.
The report comprehensively and systematically reviewed and presented China’s practice of and contribution to global human rights governance since the founding of the PRC, notably since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
From: Xinhua
Chinese expert slams Japan’s discharge of Fukushima wastewater at UN Human Rights Council
The environmental rights enjoyed by human beings is a collective human right, and the management and disposal of hazardous substances is by no means a matter of a country, a Chinese expert told the ongoing 54th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on Sept. 19.
Referring to the act of disposing hazardous substances, Li Shouping, an expert from the China Society for Human Rights Studies and a Professor at the Beijing In-stitute of Technology, said, “It should consider environmental, health and safety and other factors.”
From: Xinhua
Poverty reduction contributes to better human rights
Chinese rural researchers have highlighted how poverty reduction and farm-er-empowering programs launched by the Chinese government and colleges have bol-stered human rights in remote parts of China and beyond.
The comments were made at an international webinar held on Sept. 19 on the sidelines of the 54th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which opened on Sept. 11 and will run till Oct. 13 in Geneva, Switzerland.
From: China Daily
Pairing assistance success paves way for more
More high-quality pairing assistance programs need to be introduced in the future to help the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region maintain stability and become more prosperous, China’s top political advisor has said.
China has been implementing the pairing assistance programs in Xinjiang since 1997, channeling financial, technical and human resource support in various fields to Xinjiang, from 19 provinces and municipalities of the country, as well as central de-partments and state-owned enterprises.
Unprecedented efforts have been put in those programs in the new era and achieved obvious results, Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, told delegates at the ninth national meeting on pairing assistance to Xinji-ang, held in Kashgar, from Sept. 19 to Sept. 21.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Book on Xi’s ideas on human rights published in 6 languages
Foreign readers can now read editions of a book featuring President Xi Jinping’s discourses on human rights in Arabic, Portuguese, German, Swahili, Urdu and Viet-namese.
The six editions of the book were published recently by the Foreign Languages Press.
The book provides an encompassing selection of Xi’s remarks, writings and com-ments regarding respecting and securing human rights.
From: China Daily
China-Europe seminar on human rights held to dispel misunder-standing
When scholars and politicians from China and Europe gathered on Sept. 20 in Rome, Italy, to discuss important issues in the arena of human rights, they expressed their worries over the alarming tendency of some countries to weaponize and politi-cize human rights, and called for joint efforts to promote global human rights gover-nance via cooperation and dialogue.
More than 140 scholars from 15 countries attended the 2023 China-Europe Sem-inar on Human Rights. The seminar, themed “Modernization and the Diversity of Hu-man Rights Among Civilizations,” was held by the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS) and the law faculty at Sapienza University of Rome.
From: Global Times
22 reporters from 14 countries tour Xinjiang
A group of 22 journalists from 14 countries concluded a trip to Northwest Chi-na’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sept. 20, after gaining firsthand knowl-edge about the region’s development and diverse culture.
The nine-day trip, which started on Sept. 12, took the journalists from 17 over-seas media organizations to various places in Xinjiang, including the regional capital Urumqi, the city of Turpan and Kashgar prefecture.
During the trip, they witnessed Xinjiang’s social stability, economic development and diverse culture, as well as the happy lives of residents.
From: China Daily
Guideline urges harsher penalties for cyberbullies
Chinese police, prosecutors and judges will be required to impose harsher pun-ishments on people who bully children and the disabled in cyberspace, a new guide-line said.
Jointly issued by the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procurator-ate and the Ministry of Public Security on Sept. 25, the 20-article guideline on dealing with cases involving cyberbullying aims to help the country clean up the online envi-ronment and protect the legitimate rights of internet users.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
More efforts called for to protect world’s oceans
International experts, dignitaries and envoys to China called for a united global effort in preserving oceans at a seminar in Beijing on Sept. 26.
More than 150 guests from more than 20 nations, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Costa Rica and Brazil, attended the seminar that focused on the environment, development and ecological protection of the world’s oceans.
From: China Daily
National security law brings opportunities to HK’s development: youth representatives
Youth representatives of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China on Sept. 29 spoke at the 54th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, in-troducing the latest situation of Hong Kong’s governance after the implementation of the national security law.
They emphasized that the national security law will bring new opportunities to Hong Kong’s long-term development.
From: Xinhua
October 2023
China, like-minded countries call for better social security systems for aged population
China on Oct. 4 delivered a joint statement on behalf of some 80 countries at the 54th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council, calling for better social security systems for the aged population.
Delivering the joint statement, Chen Xu, head of the Chinese Mission in Geneva, said that as population aging accelerates around the world, inadequacies in the social support systems are becoming more prominent, including sustainability of social security policy, regional disparity of old-age care and support, and age-based discrimination against older persons.
From: Xinhua
Authorities plan major HPV vaccine drive
Authorities in Beijing have said that the capital will step up vaccination against human papillomavirus, or HPV, among girls this year and will scale up free screening for cervical cancer, as part of a trial program aimed at accelerating the elimination of the deadly disease.
More awareness and registration campaigns should be rolled out on campuses to encourage girls to get HPV vaccines, according to an action plan released by the Beijing Municipal Health Commission and nine other government departments on Oct. 7.
From: China Daily
School and community facilities help to promote kids’ mental health
China has strengthened the provision of psychological services for children and adolescents on campuses and in communities in recent years to promote the mental health of juveniles, a health official said on Oct. 9.
Li Dachuan, deputy director of the National Health Commission’s Department of Medical Administration, said a national drive that started in 2018 has seen about 96 percent of villages or communities, all colleges and 95 percent of primary and middle schools in trial regions set up mental health facilities.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Workers in new jobs to attend national trade unions congress with proposals for improving working conditions
As Chinese trade unions are set to convene their 18th national congress in Beijing on Oct. 9, more than one fifth of selected delegates are workers in new jobs, such as delivery men and car-hailing drivers. The representatives will introduce proposals to better protect the group’s legal rights and interests.
According to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), a total of 2,002 delegates from 35 delegations across the country will attend the congress, which is held every five years as required by the Constitution of the ACFTU.
From: Global Times
China’s State Council approves documents on social security, patent enforcement
China’s State Council, or the cabinet, on Oct. 10 adopted a guideline on promoting dynamic monitoring of the low-income population and multi-tiered and categorized social assistance, as well as action plans on meal assistance for the elderly and on patent enforcement.
Efforts should be made to make social assistance work more precise, prompt, and effective to better safeguard people’s livelihoods, according to a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang.
From: Xinhua
Beijing sets stricter guidelines for childcare institutions
Beijing’s childcare institutions will face tighter regulations starting from Jan. 1 next year as the city’s health commission has announced a set of new measures aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of children.
Under the new regulations, comprehensive security monitoring systems will be mandatory for all childcare institutions, according to a report from China Central Television on Oct. 12, which will help enhance the overall safety of the facilities and provide parents with peace of mind.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese scholar Lu Haina elected as member of UN Human Rights Council Special Procedures
Chinese human rights scholar Lu Haina was elected as a member of the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on discrimination against women and girls at the 54th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, on Oct. 13.
Lu is the only Chinese expert on the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council and the second Chinese expert elected to the position since its establishment in 1967.
Lu currently serves as executive director of the Human Rights Research Center at Renmin University of China and professor at the Renmin University of China Law School. She is also a member of China Society for Human Rights Studies and the editorial board of Human Rights magazine.
From: Ecns.cn
Chinese modernization leads to improved rights: Experts
The people-centered Chinese path to modernization is key in protecting and improving human rights in China, human rights experts said.
China has been attaching great importance to improving people’s human rights during the process of achieving social and economic development, as the goal of the Chinese path to modernization is to ensure the all-around development of human rights, said Lu Guangjin, deputy head of the China Society for Human Rights Studies and a professor at the Human Rights Research Center of Jilin University.
He made the remarks during a symposium discussing the Chinese path to modernization and the all-around development of human rights on Oct. 14. Supported by the society, the symposium was held by the university in Changchun, Jilin.
From: China Daily
China nurses medical field in 41 countries
China has helped train nearly 100,000 medical professionals in developing countries and established paired cooperation with 46 hospitals in 41 countries in the past decade along side the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, the National Health Commission said on Oct. 17.
The commission said that 25 clinical centers were set up specializing in a specific field of disease as a result of the initiative that was launched around ten years ago.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China voices opposition to West’s interference
Some Western countries are attacking China based on disinformation while disregarding their own serious human rights issues, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Oct. 19, following the meetings of the Third Committee of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Earlier this week, some Western countries, including the United Kingdom, attacked China over human rights during the meetings, while more than 70 countries, including Pakistan, voiced opposition to interfering in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.
From: China Daily Global
HIV/AIDS patients achieving improved outcomes
China has expanded HIV/AIDS therapy to cover over 90 percent of patients in the country, and for those already in treatment there is a 90 percent success rate, signifying major progress in tackling the disease, according to a recent study.
Improving access to effective treatment has resulted in a decrease in the disease’s mortality rate and a marked rise in life expectancy for HIV/AIDS patients in the country, said the study released on Oct. 20 by China CDC Weekly, a research platform of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
From: China Daily
Lawmakers propose changes to infectious disease control law
Chinese lawmakers are mulling over a draft revision for the infectious disease prevention and control law that would improve the country’s epidemic surveillance, early warning and reporting system, including forbidding interventions in and providing incentives for early reporting.
The draft was submitted to a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for further review on Oct. 20. The session will run from Oct. 20 to 24.
From: China Daily
Medical teams lauded for contributions
China’s foreign medical aid teams were awarded the title of “role model of the times” by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Oct. 20 as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the country’s first medical team dispatched to Algeria.
Since 1963, China has dispatched more than 30,000 medical workers to 76 countries and regions, and helped build more than 130 healthcare facilities overseas. They have treated nearly 300 million patients and saved countless lives in their localities, according to official figures.
From: China Daily
More grassroots delegates to attend women’s congress
Almost 70 percent of the delegates to China’s 13th National Women’s Congress this week serve in front-line posts at the grassroots level, more than at the previous congress five years ago, the All-China Women’s Federation said on Oct. 21.
From Oct. 23 to 26, 1,793 representatives and 90 specially invited delegates will attend the congress, the federation said.
From: China Daily
Top legislature adopts regulations on protection of minors in cyberspace
Draft bills and revised laws, including China’s first regulations on the protection of minors in cyberspace, were passed by Chinese lawmakers as the sixth session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress (NPC) on Oct. 24.
The Chinese lawmakers also voted to adopt the Patriotic Education Law and a revised Marine Environment Protection Law, both of which will take effect on January 1, 2024.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed an order of the State Council to issue a set of regulations to protect minors in cyberspace. The regulatory document, comprising 60 articles in seven chapters, will also come into effect on January 1, 2024, according to an official statement.
From: Global Times
China Foundation for Human Rights Development convenes council meeting
The China Foundation for Human Rights Development on Oct. 25 convened a council meeting in Beijing.
The meeting reviewed and passed a work report from the previous council, a financial audit report, and a five-year development outline for the foundation from 2024 to 2028.
A new council and new leadership were elected at the meeting, with Xie Fuzhan, former president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, elected as the chairman of the council.
From: Xinhua
China achieves full coverage of educational assistance
China has achieved full coverage in its educational assistance for students from families struggling with economic hardship throughout all educational stages and in all public and private schools, a Ministry of Education (MOE) official said on Oct. 25.
Preliminary statistics showed that in 2022, China’s educational assistance fund nationwide totaled 292.27 billion yuan (about 40.71 billion U.S. dollars), benefiting 161 million students, MOE official Ma Jiabin said at a press conference.
From: Xinhua
Medical assistance teams elevate healthcare services in Xizang, Xinjiang
Medical assistance teams sent to China’s Xinjiang and Xizang have significantly elevated local healthcare services over the years, the National Health Commission (NHC) said on Oct. 25.
In 2015, China initiated a national program of sending teams of medical and education personnel to offer support to Tibet Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Since then, more than 3,100 high-caliber personnel from provinces relatively advanced in the medical sector have been dispatched to these two regions as members of assistance teams, Xing Ruoqi, an NHC official, told a press conference held in Kashgar, Xinjiang.
From: Xinhua
Meal services for elderly to expand nationwide
China plans to offer nutritious, affordable and accessible welfare meals for seniors to support elderly care at home and improve their well-being, officials said.
“Meal assistance services have become common needs for the elderly,” Tang Chengpei, vice-minister of civil affairs, said at a news conference on Oct. 25 in Beijing.
From: China Daily
China’s job market saw stable growth in first three quarters of 2023, ministry says
China’s job market showed stable growth in first three quarters of the year, with 10.22 million people landing jobs in urban areas during that time, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security said on Oct. 26.
According to the ministry, the nation’s surveyed unemployment rate was around 5 percent in September, falling by 0.2 percentage point from the previous month.
In addition, about 42,000 college graduates have been recruited for grassroots positions nationwide as of September. Of those graduates, 4,996 took positions in counties with harsh environments and weaker economic conditions to help contribute to the areas’ development.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Cyberspace authority moves to protect minors
The Cyberspace Administration of China will focus on rectifying prominent issues such as fabricating and disseminating illegal and harmful information, and generating explicit content with new technologies and applications, to continually create a clean cyberspace, officials from the CAC said at a news conference in Beijing on Oct. 27.
The actions also aim at promoting the implementation of the recently issued Regulations on the Protection of Minors in Cyberspace, which was approved in September during the 15th executive meeting of the State Council, and officially published on Oct 16. These regulations will take effect on Jan 1.
From: China Daily
Human Rights & Development: China-Germany forum held in Beijing
A China-Germany forum on human rights development was held in Beijing on Oct. 31, where experts from the two countries discussed efforts to promote human rights developments around the world.
The event was jointly organized by the China Foundation for Human Rights and the Friedrich-Ebert Foundation based in Germany.
From: CGTN
Report shows nationwide increase in health index
The health level of Chinese cities saw a stable increase over the last four years in terms of health service, industry, facility and environment, which shows a positive trend toward the construction of livable cities nationwide, experts said.
The overall health index increased 2.1 percent year-on-year in 2023, and 249 out of 296 cities surveyed showed that their health index grew, according to a report released by the Institute for Sustainable Urbanization at Tsinghua University in Beijing on Oct. 31.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
November 2023
40 percent more elderly covered by public healthcare services
China has channeled a tremendous amount of resources into improving grassroots healthcare infrastructure and nurturing related talent, and has made continuous efforts to promote the high-quality formation of families by strengthening healthcare for women and children, officials said in Beijing on Nov. 1.
According to the latest figures from the National Health Commission, China now has over 3,800 community-based hospitals to meet the medical needs of the public.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
National political advisors discuss environment protection, building Beautiful China
China’s national political advisors on Nov. 1 shared their views on strengthening environment protection and promoting the building of a Beautiful China.
Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attended the plenary meeting of the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 14th CPPCC National Committee.
From: Xinhua
Public hospital reforms boosting health care efficiency in China
There were 5.11 billion hospital visits by people seeking medical care at China’s medical and health institutions from January to September this year, making the efficiency of medical and health supply has been improved, an official at China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said on Nov. 1 at a press conference.
The number has increased by 12.4 percent compared with the same period in 2019 and 6 percent last year, according to Lei Haichao, deputy head of the NHC.
From: CGTN
China to pilot carbon-peaking in 100 cities, zones
China will launch carbon-peaking pilot projects in 100 cities and zones nationwide to solve bottlenecks constraining the country’s green and low-carbon development and explore paths toward carbon-peaking for different areas, according to a plan unveiled on Nov. 6.
By 2025, the policy mechanism conducive to green and low-carbon development in the pilot areas will mostly be in place, together with many innovative practices and reform measures that are feasible, replicable, and can be applied elsewhere, said the plan issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
From: Xinhua
China issues white paper on CPC policies on governance of Xizang in new era
China’s State Council Information Office on Nov. 10 released a white paper on the policies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on the governance of Xizang Autonomous Region in the new era.
The white paper, titled “CPC Policies on the Governance of Xizang in the New Era: Approach and Achievements,” highlighted that the CPC’s guidelines for governing Xizang in the new era have brought about all-round progress and historic success in various undertakings in the region.
From: Xinhua
President calls for bolstering post-disaster recovery
President Xi Jinping stressed on Nov. 10 the need to bolster post-disaster recovery and reconstruction and guarantee the well-being of the people, while inspecting areas hit by summer floods and geological disasters in Beijing and neighboring Hebei province.
He called on local authorities to ensure that the people in the two regions can stay warm in the coming winter, while visiting disaster-affected villages, households, a school and water conservancy projects.
From: China Daily
Zero violent terrorist incidents in Xizang for years: official
No political, group or violent terrorist incidents have occured in Southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region for years, said the head of the regional government on Nov. 10.
The safety and satisfaction index of people of all ethnic groups in the region has ranked among the highest in China, said Yan Jinhai, chairman of the government of the Xizang Autonomous Region, at a press conference on a newly-released white paper titled “CPC Policies on the Governance of Xizang in the New Era: Approach and Achievements.”
From: Xinhua
Xizang establishes 15-year publicly-funded school education system: official
Southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region has taken the lead in the country in establishing a 15-year publicly-funded education system from kindergarten all the way up to senior high school, a senior official said on Nov. 10.
Yan Jinhai, chairman of the government of the Xizang autonomous region, made the remarks while highlighting the region’s commitment to people-centered development and achievements since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012.
From: Xinhua
China plays leading role in advancing human development
China has been and will continue to be a key player in advancing human development and the Sustainable Development Goals, remarked scholars during a forum on Nov. 13.
Over the past 40 years, China has contributed close to three-quarters of the global reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty, without which the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 1 would not have been successfully reached, said Peng Gang, vice president of Tsinghua University, at this forum co-hosted by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the China Institute for Development Planning of Tsinghua University.
From: Xinhua
China selects 15 cities to expand coverage of new energy vehicles for public services
China has selected 15 cities, including Beijing and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, as pilot locations to expand the coverage of new energy vehicles for public services.
In a plan released on Nov. 14, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that, with joint effort from seven other departments including the Ministry of Transport, the project would see the expansion of vehicles in the public services sector — government cars, buses, sanitary trucks, taxis, delivery and urban logistics vehicles, airport shuttles and heavy-haul trucks for special occasions. The goal is to have 600,000 new energy vehicles in public service in these cities.
To support the expansion, some 700,000 charging stations and 7,800 battery swapping stations will be built in these cities, the plan said.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Nation aims to improve cancer survival rates
China aims to raise the overall five-year survival rate for cancers to over 46.6 percent by 2030 by rolling out comprehensive measures including promoting healthy lifestyles, expanding screening and accelerating the development of new technologies, officials and experts said on Nov. 15.
China reports nearly 4.1 million new cancer cases each year, with lung, colorectal, stomach, liver and breast cancers the most common. Cancer, cardiovascular diseases and other chronic illnesses account for over 80 percent of deaths in the country.
From: China Daily
Water diversion project benefits 68 million people in Shandong in decade
The first phase of the eastern route of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Project has benefited more than 68 million people in east China’s Shandong Province in its decade-long operation, China South-to-North Water Diversion Co., Ltd. said on Nov. 15.
It has transferred 6.14 billion cubic meters of water to Shandong since it began supplying water in November 2013, according to the company.
From: Xinhua
Experts hail the release of white paper on China’s policies in Xizang
With the correct policies and leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the development of Southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region is presented with real examples and data, allowing people to see the true development of Xizang, leaving the separatist forces speechless and can only smear the development in the region, China’s top experts of Tibetology said at a forum while discussing a recently-published white paper on China’s policies in governing Xizang and the achievements it has gained.
On Nov. 21, a high-level forum on the practice of the CPC’s strategy for governing Xizang in the new era and its historic achievements was hosted by the China Tibetology Research Center in Beijing. Nearly 50 experts and scholars participated.
From: Global Times
CSHRS executive VP Jiang Jianguo meets with friendly Indian delegation
Jiang Jianguo, member of the standing committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), vice-director of the Committee on Ethnic and Religious Affairs of the CPPCC and executive vice-president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS), met with a friendly Indian delegation led by Parveen Gupta, chairman of the National Human Rights Council of India (NHRC), in Beijing on Nov. 21, 2023.
After an in-depth discussion about the similarity of each other’s human rights development and the common challenges, both sides agreed to actively carry out dialogues and exchanges in terms of human rights, increase the developing countries’ discourse power on human rights governance, and jointly promote more fair, just, reasonable and inclusive global human rights governance.
From: en.humanrights.cn
Xi’s discourses on human rights published in Spanish
The Spanish-Chinese version of a compilation of President Xi Jinping’s discourses on respecting and protecting human rights has been launched in Madrid.
A launch ceremony and a seminar on “Human Wisdom for Global Governance” were held in the Spanish capital on Nov. 22 to inaugurate the bilingual version of Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights.
From: China Daily
China’s State Council stresses workplace safety
China’s State Council underscored the importance of ensuring workplace safety at the turn of the year during an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang on Nov. 24.
The meeting also reviewed and approved an action plan to improve air quality, as well as regulations on supervising and managing non-bank payment institutions.
From: Xinhua
Vice-Premier stresses efforts to ensure food safety
Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing on Nov. 28 called for continued efforts to ensure food safety and better meet the people’s new demand for safe, nutritious and healthy food.
Zhang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks at an event in Beijing marking this year’s food safety publicity week.
From: Xinhua
China’s police chief urges modernization of public security capabilities
China’s police chief has called for further efforts to bolster public security capabilities and safeguard the country’s modernization endeavors.
Wang Xiaohong, a member of the Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and minister of public security, made the remarks during a national meeting attended by local police chiefs, which was held on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province.
From: Xinhua
China urges enhanced medical care for children’s respiratory diseases
China’s National Health Commission issued a circular on Nov. 30, urging maternal and child care institutions to increase the resources for diagnosing and treating respiratory diseases in children.
The document was released against the backdrop of increasing cases of respiratory diseases among children in some regions of China, as autumn and winter are the peak season for children to contract such diseases.
From: CGTN
December 2023
Intl seminar on information and communication accessibility and human rights protection held in Beijing
UNESCO officials and representatives from more than ten countries convened at a seminar in Beijing on Dec. 1 to share experiences and explore ways to enhance the inclusiveness of the society for people with disabilities.
At the seminar, jointly hosted by Communication University of China and UNESCO, officials and scholars from China, France, Mongolia and Malaysia discussed — either on-site or through video — ways to promote the information accessibility and empowerment of people with disabilities.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Nation lauded for contribution to human rights cause
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has earned global trust through its inclusivity, and China’s historic achievements in human rights offer a unique model for upholding the spirit of the document, officials and experts said at a seminar on Dec. 4 in Beijing.
Amid the 75th anniversary of the declaration, which falls on Dec. 10, the China Society for Human Rights Studies held a seminar to commemorate the milestone document.
From: China Daily
Proposal set to advance cause of human rights
Beijing has put forward a four-point proposal for advancing global human rights, including “galvanizing common security and shaping a stabler international environment”, in order to end conflicts and facilitate the return of the homeless to their homeland.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi unveiled the proposal package in Beijing on Dec. 5 in a speech during the opening of an international symposium commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
From: China Daily
Experts discuss global human rights governance at int’l symposium in Beijing
An international symposium marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was held in Beijing on Dec. 5.
The symposium was hosted by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and welcomed experts, officials and diplomats from countries including Russia, Cuba and Saudi Arabia.
From: Xinhua
Xinhua releases report on Belt and Road cooperation from human rights perspective
The China Foundation for Human Rights Development and New China Research (NCR), Xinhua’s think tank, issued a report on Dec. 7 titled “For a Better World — Looking at the Past Decade of Jointly Pursuing the Belt and Road Initiative from a Human Rights Perspective.”
The report explores the relationship between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the development of human rights in the world.
From: Xinhua
China issues action plan for improving air quality, aiming to boost use of electricity
China’s State Council, the country’s cabinet, issued an action plan on Dec. 7 for the continuous improvement of air quality. Under the plan, China should boost the development of new energy and clean energy, while strictly and reasonably controlling coal consumption and prohibiting new steel capacity.
By 2025, it is expected that electricity should account for around 30 percent of total energy end-use consumption, and non-fossil energy consumption should reach around 20 percent, according to the action plan. It was released following the conclusion of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai last week, during which China’s role in global climate governance was highlighted.
From: Global Times
Beijing releases guideline on improving care for elderly
Authorities in Beijing released a guideline on Dec. 7, pledging to improve services for the capital’s elderly population in line with the broader national strategy.
The guidance introduced “new patterns” and “complementary forms” of senior care, including community care at home, institutional care and travel-based care.
From: China Daily Global
Regulation aims for safer cybersecurity
Serious damage to critical networks or information systems, or theft of crucial data, should be reported to cyberspace departments within a specific time frame, according to a draft regulation unveiled on Dec. 8.
The document, which was issued by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s top internet regulator, identifies an overall interruption of key information infrastructure for six or more hours as an “extremely serious” cybersecurity case, requiring relevant operators to report such incidents to national cyberspace or public security authorities within one hour.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Stronger data protection legislation called for
Legal experts in China are calling for strengthened legislation on data protection and improved data security management to safeguard human rights in the digital age.
Lu Guangjin, deputy head of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said the country has passed several laws on digital development, but due to a lack of legislation regarding rights and the protection of data ownership, there has been a negative impact on the normal flow of data, resulting in a continuous stream of disputes over data rights.
Lu made the remarks at a conference on protecting human rights in the digital age, which was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, on Dec. 10.
From: China Daily
Action plan targets low-carbon transportation
The latest action plan on air quality emphasized the importance of a green and low-carbon transformation of transportation in the battle against pollution, aiming to shift from a focus on the administration of individual vehicles to the comprehensive management of clean transportation, said a senior official on Dec. 11.
“Our next step is to work on the existing emission sources and reduce the emission of nitric oxide and volatile organic compounds through green transformation in the transportation sector,” said Liu Bingjiang, chief engineer of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and head of the ministry’s department of atmospheric environment, at a policy briefing on Dec. 11.
From: China Daily
Water infrastructure projects creating jobs
Construction of water infrastructure in China has helped improve the livelihoods of people in rural areas, generated a large number of employment opportunities and beefed up water supplies, senior water resources officials said.
“China is seeing growth in employment and wages in the water infrastructure construction sector, providing more workers with higher remuneration,” Chen Min, vice-minister of water resources, said at a news conference on Dec. 12.
From: China Daily
China issues updated regulation on compulsory custody measures
China’s top procuratorate and the public security ministry have issued an updated regulation on further examining and assessing the necessity of custody for criminal suspects or defendants.
The move aims to standardize the application of compulsory custody measures, while protecting the legitimate rights and interests of criminal suspects and defendants, according to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate on Dec. 13.
From: Xinhua
Ambassador to UK publishes article on China’s ethnic policy
Chinese Ambassador to the United Kingdom (UK) Zheng Zeguang on Dec. 13 published an article headlined “China’s ethnic policy and governance” in Nouvelles d’Europe (UK edition).
Zheng noted that China’s ethnic policy is rooted in the country’s unique history and culture, and has four features: equality, autonomy, development and unity. Through unremitting efforts, China has found the right path to manage ethnic issues with Chinese characteristics and in line with its own national conditions.
From: Xinhua
126 drugs added to national basic cover
China will add 126 drugs to a revised national basic medical insurance list, with a focus on novel medications and rare disease therapies, the National Healthcare Security Administration said on Dec. 13.
Newly added products will include 21 anti-cancer drugs, 17 antivirals or anti-COVID medicines, 15 drugs for treating diabetes, mental disorders, rheumatism and other chronic diseases, and 15 drugs targeting rare diseases, the administration said at a news conference.
From: China Daily
Stable job market in China as of November
China has seen a stable operation of the job market so far and is optimizing the calculation method of young people’s unemployment rate to give the public a more clear picture of the employment situation, said a senior official on Dec. 15.
Latest figures revealed by the National Bureau of Statistics show that the domestic job market was in a stable operation last month with the surveyed urban unemployment rate remaining 5 percent — the same as that in October.
Thirty-one big or first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai saw their surveyed unemployment rate in November pulling even with that in October, while the number dropped by 1.7 percentage points year-on-year.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Social stability key to Xinjiang human rights
In the course of promoting human rights, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has prioritized people’s right to social stability and utilized its fruit as the foundation to propel all-around advances in the economic, cultural, social and religious development of all ethnic groups, experts said.
“Xinjiang has not seen any violent terrorist incidents for nearly seven consecutive years, enhancing the public’s sense of security to an unprecedented level,” said Erkin Tuniyaz, chairman of the regional government, who attributed it to law-based governance and the normalization of counter-terrorism efforts in the region.
He made the remarks on Dec. 20 at a conference sharing ideas and stories on promoting the high-quality development of the human rights cause in Xinjiang within the Chinese modernization drive, where the first blue book on Xinjiang’s human rights and legal protections was also released.
From: China Daily
Conference highlights human rights advancement in Xinjiang
Chinese officials and experts praised the social stability and rapid development in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region for securing considerable improvement in its human rights.
Speaking at an idea- and story-sharing conference on promoting the high-quality development of the human rights cause in Xinjiang within the Chinese modernization drive on Dec. 20, they said the region has seen a booming economy, society, and culture in recent years and that people of different ethnic groups are enjoying a happy life in general.
From: Xinhua
China mulls law to further ensure income of grain growers
A draft law on strengthening food security was tabled before Chinese lawmakers for the third reading on Dec. 25.
The draft, with a focus on refining the mechanism for ensuring the income of grain growers, was submitted to the seventh session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress for the third review.
From: Xinhua
Vice-minister details progress in mental health services
China has improved access to mental health services and treatment in recent years, a senior health official said on Dec. 26.
Lei Haichao, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said the central leadership had allocated 10.6 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) for renovating or building 540 mental health facilities and equipping 600 general health institutions with devices used in psychiatric departments.
He released the details while delivering a report on mental health work to a session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
