February 2024
State councilor urges high-quality work for women, children
Chinese State Councilor Shen Yiqin has urged efforts to advance the high-quality development of work for women and children during her inspection tour in east China's Fujian Province.
From Feb. 2 to Feb. 3, Shen inspected local service centers for women and children in the provincial capital city of Fuzhou and visited rural areas and urban communities to learn about relevant work.
Shen, also president of the All-China Women's Federation, called for efforts to ensure the Party's leadership over the work of women's federations, focus on the most practical and tangible matters for women and their families, and promote gender equality and all-around development of women and children.
From: Xinhua
China to ramp up wetland protection, restoration
China will comprehensively enhance its efforts in wetland protection and restoration with targeted measures, according to an official on Feb. 2, which marks World Wetlands Day.
Yuan Jiming, an official with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said the country will help establish more wetlands of international importance and develop more international wetland cities, while also promoting the development of a monitoring and supervision system for national wetland parks.
From: Xinhua
Document prioritizes higher rural incomes
China will continue to prioritize increasing the income of rural residents and preventing them from slipping into poverty this year, as their livelihood is closely tied to the nation's social and economic development, said senior officials.
The nation unveiled its annual No. 1 Central Document on Feb. 3, focusing on rural vitalization and food security. The document is the first policy statement released each year by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet.
From: China Daily
China sends 20,000 disaster relief supply items to Hunan province
The Ministry of Emergency Management and two other government departments have sent 20,000 disaster relief supply items, including cotton-padded quilts, to Central China's Hunan province, the ministry said on Feb. 5.
The ministry upgraded the emergency response for disasters induced by low temperatures, rain, snow and freezing conditions in Hunan from level-IV to level-III on Feb. 4.
From: Xinhua
China continues to enhance public medical services
China's tertiary public hospitals nationwide have further enhanced accessibility of their medical services, according to an official assessment report.
The report, released on Feb. 7 by the National Health Commission and six other departments, was formulated based on the performance of the country's 2,817 tertiary public hospitals in 2022.
From: Xinhua
Increasing efforts help migrant workers resume and find work
Authorities are beefing up efforts to transport migrant workers to their jobs and provide new employment opportunities to propel the resumption of work as the Spring Festival holiday concludes in China, People's Daily reported.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and eight other government departments jointly launched a special campaign with a string of online and offline activities from Jan. 25 to April 8, with the aim of providing some 30 million job opportunities.
As of Feb. 17, a total of 18,000 online and offline recruitment events have been organized and 10 million job openings were offered across the country, according to the ministry.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Chinese medical team treats over 20,000 Sierra Leonean patients during one-year mission
The 24th batch of the Chinese medical team in Sierra Leone has provided care for more than 20,000 local patients during its one-year mission.
Chen Yongjun, head of the team, told Xinhua in an interview on Feb. 22 that the team has carried out over 400 surgeries and trained many local medical staff during the period.
From: Xinhua
China publishes guidelines to better protect rights of workers in platform economy
China on Feb. 23 published guidelines to improve protection of the rights of workers engaged in new employment forms, such as ride-hailing and food delivery.
The guidelines compiled by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security stipulate detailed and practical rules to guide platform businesses in improving labor management and addressing problems, including excessive working hours and platform rules lacking sufficient transparency.
From: Xinhua
Making payment easier for foreigners, seniors
At the State Council executive meeting on Feb. 23, a guiding document on further optimizing payment services and improving convenience of payment was reviewed and approved. Focusing on the inconvenience faced by senior citizens and foreigners visiting China, the guiding document aims at promoting multiple payment methods such as mobile payment, bank cards and cash.
From: China Daily
Survey reveals Chinese netizens' top concerns ahead of two sessions
Law-based governance, employment, and rural vitalization are among the top concerns of Chinese internet users, according to an online survey recently conducted by People's Daily Online.
Aimed at pooling strengths, gathering opinions, and voicing public concerns before China's annual two sessions, the survey, conducted annually, began on Feb. 5 and ended on Feb. 25.
From: People's Daily Online
China provides legal aid to migrant workers in 480,000 cases in 2023
China's legal aid agencies nationwide handled 480,000 cases related to legal assistance for migrant workers in 2023, the Ministry of Justice said on Feb. 26.
Over the past year, legal aid agencies helped 540,000 migrant workers recover a total of 6.8 billion yuan (956.7 million U.S. dollars) in unpaid wages, which has effectively safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of migrant workers.
From: Xinhua
Chinese procuratorates handle 190,000 public interest litigation cases in 2023
China's procuratorial organs filed and solved around 190,000 public interest litigation cases throughout 2023, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said on Feb. 28.
Of the cases, 168,000 involved administrative litigation and 22,000 fell under the civil sphere.
The coverage of public interest litigation was further expanded last year, with procuratorial public interest litigation being incorporated into a series of new laws concerning people's living environment and ecological protection, among other matters.
From: Xinhua
China makes headway in enhancing daycare services for children under three
China has stepped up efforts to boost the healthy development of daycare services for children under the age of three, senior National Health Commission official Yang Jinrui said on Feb. 28.
The country now has approximately 100,000 nurseries for children under three, collectively capable of facilitating about 4.8 million such children, Yang told a press conference.
From: Xinhua
China sees improved living environment in rural areas
China has made remarkable progress in improving the living environment in rural areas, the country's agricultural ministry said on Feb. 28.
The country stepped up efforts to strengthen the weak links in public infrastructure in 2023, and over 95 percent of villages have launched clean-up campaigns, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
From: Xinhua
China's medical, healthcare sector makes steady progress in 2023
China's medical and healthcare sector witnessed sound progress last year, with the major health indicators reaching the forefront among middle- and high-income countries, according to data released by the National Health Commission (NHC) on Feb. 28.
As of 2023, China's infant mortality rate has dropped to 4.5 per 1,000, the mortality rate among children under five reached 6.2 per 1,000, and the maternal mortality rate decreased to 15.1 per 100,000, the NHC data shows.
From: Xinhua
Xi's human rights book published in French
The launch ceremony for a French-Chinese version of a book of extracts from President Xi Jinping's discourses on respecting and protecting human rights was held in Paris on Feb. 29, together with a seminar entitled “Chinese Wisdom for Global Human Rights Governance".
Compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the book uses nine themes to systematically record the remarks of Xi on respecting and protecting human rights.
From: China Daily
March 2024
Local legislation guards privacy, limits cameras
New legislation on security cameras is aimed at regulating the use of video feeds and protecting people's privacy, rather than having more cameras installed, a local legislator said as the city of Zhuzhou, in Hunan province, enacted the nation's first local legislation on the issue.
The Zhuzhou Public Security Video Imaging Information System Management Regulation came into effect on March 1.
From: China Daily
China to expand basic medical insurance coverage for children
Chinese authorities on March 2 released a circular on the launch of a campaign to expand basic medical insurance coverage for children, aiming to safeguard the rights, interests and health of children in the country.
The circular, issued by the National Healthcare Security Administration, the Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission, sets the goal that by the end of 2024, over 80 percent of newborns are covered by national basic medical insurance in the year of birth.
From: Xinhua
Jobs, regional integration get major lift
A total of 12.44 million new jobs were created in China's urban areas last year thanks in part to the efforts of governments at all levels and various funding, Liu Jieyi said at a news conference on March 3.
Liu, spokesman for the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body, said funds exceeding 300 billion yuan ($41.7 billion) were provided to directly support employment and entrepreneurship.
From: China Daily
Ambassador expounds China's human rights perspectives in Geneva
The Chinese ambassador in Geneva expounded on March 4 China's perspectives on advancing and safeguarding human rights, stressing that peace and development are crucial pillars for promoting and protecting human rights.
Chen Xu, permanent representative of China to the United Nations Office in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, stated that safeguarding human rights for everyone is a shared duty of the global community at the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
From: Xinhua
China aims to add over 12 million new urban jobs in 2024, setting urban unemployment rate of around 5.5%
China's central government aims to create over 12 million new urban jobs in 2024, with surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 percent, according to the Government Work Report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on March 5.
The premier stressed a greater priority to employment, vowing to better leverage fiscal, tax, financial, and other policies to stabilize employment, and roll out more targeted policies to boost employment this year.
From: Xinhua
China solidifies commitment to improving women's livelihoods around the world
China is willing to work with other countries to promote the global gender equality agenda, build a community with a shared future for humanity and create a better world for all women, State Councilor Shen Yiqin said on March 7.
While addressing a reception marking the International Women's Day at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Shen, also president of the All-China Women's Federation, extended her festive greetings to women at home and abroad. She said that China will keep collaborating with the global community to implement Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, an agenda for women's empowerment adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Judicial authorities vow harsh punishments for child abusers
Chinese prosecutors and judges endeavored to fight and punish people who harmed children with zero-tolerance last year, with various measures taken to protect women's legitimate rights, according to reports.
The annual work reports of the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate, China's top judicial authorities, were submitted to the ongoing second session of the 14th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature, on March 8 for review.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China to continue to prioritize employment promotion
China will continue to prioritize employment promotion work this year by releasing more preferential policies, optimizing job services and tightening supervision on labor relations, said a senior official.
Last year, the domestic job market has shown a forecast-beating performance, with 12.44 million people successfully landing jobs in urban areas and the average surveyed unemployment rate staying around 5.2 percent in urban areas.
“China is a developing country with a large population. Employment is closely related to the basic livelihood of every family and the nation's social and economic development," said Wang Xiaoping, minister of the human resources and social security at a news conference in Beijing on March 9.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China has made remarkable advancements in disability protection: Chinese expert
China has achieved institutionalized protection and systematic services for persons with disabilities, Zhou Lulu, an expert from Guangzhou University, said on March 11.
At the annual debate on the rights of persons with disabilities during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council here, Zhou expounded China's proactive actions in safeguarding the rights of persons with disabilities.
From: Xinhua
China's experience with gender equality shared at UN
A delegate of the Chinese women's association on March 12 shared the nation's experience in achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls during the annual United Nations meeting focused on women's issues.
The 68th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which started March 11 and will run to March 22, is an annual meeting to address the inequalities, violence and discrimination against women.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
China, UN organizations co-host side event to promote protection of rights of persons with disabilities
A side event of the 55th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council was held on March 12 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities.
The event was co-hosted by the Chinese Permanent Mission to the UN Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities of the UN Human Rights Council, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Permanent Missions of Mexico, New Zealand and Finland to Geneva, and UN Women.
From: People's Daily
China makes significant progress in protection of privacy rights: expert
China has made significant progress in the protection of privacy rights, Gong Xianghe, an expert from China's Southeast University, said here on March 13 during the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.
Gong, on behalf of the China Society for Human Rights Studies, said privacy is a fundamental human right and a key element in the protection of human dignity.
Calling the Personal Information Protection Law enacted in 2021 in China “a milestone," Gong said the law provided a comprehensive legal framework for the protection of personal information and thus helped protect the people's rights to privacy.
From: Xinhua
Experts laud China's achievements in safeguarding ethnic minorities' right to education
China has made significant progress in safeguarding ethnic minorities' right to education during its modernization, said experts at a side event of the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council on March 14.
During the event, hosted by the China Society for Human Rights Studies, Chinese experts and scholars from universities and research institutions presented findings on China's efforts to guarantee ethnic minorities' right to education in its modernization, with a focus on Xizang Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
From: Xinhua
China calls for advancing AI to protect children's rights
A Chinese diplomat on March 14 called for advancing high-quality development of artificial intelligence (AI) to help promote children's mental health and protect their rights at the 55th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.
Delivering a joint statement on behalf of 80 countries, Chen Xu, the permanent representative of China to the UN Office in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, said that AI represents a new frontier in human development and should be governed under the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits.
From: Xinhua
Chinese courts work with government agencies to protect children from food safety violations
While continuing to harshly punish those who produce or sell harmful food to juveniles, Chinese courts have also been required to work with government agencies to jointly strengthen the fight against crimes related to food safety.
The requirement was put forward by the Supreme People's Court, China's top court, on March 15 when introducing four influential food safety cases involving children.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Experts share insights on China's legal protection of human rights
China has continuously improved its legal protection of human rights, effectively guaranteeing people's rights to survival and development, said experts at a side event of the 55th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council on March 15.
During the event, hosted by the Human Rights Research Center of the Northwest University of Political Science and Law (NWUPL), scholars from China and abroad exchanged insights on China's experience in the legal protection of human rights, including poverty alleviation, desertification control, counter-terrorism, and the rights of disabled people in sports.
From: Xinhua
Experts share views on China's minority rights protection in Geneva
Experts and scholars from China and abroad shared the achievements and experiences of minority rights protection in China, focusing on the practices in Xizang Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at a seminar here on March 18.
The seminar titled “The Protection of Human Rights for Minorities: Progress in China's Ethnic Autonomous Regions" was organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies during the 55th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council.
From: Xinhua
China launches nationwide crackdown on trafficking of women, children
China has launched a nationwide crackdown targeting human trafficking crimes involving women and children, deploying a special operation that will run until the end of 2024.
Authorities were instructed to actively take responsibility, carefully organize and deploy, and severely crack down on crimes of trafficking women and children in accordance with the law, according to a meeting co-held on March 18 by the Ministry of Public Security on the operation.
From: Xinhua
Chinese premier stresses improving people's well-being
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has stressed meeting people's expectations for high-quality life and improving their well-being while promoting high-quality development.
Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his inspection tour of Fujian and Jiangxi provinces that ran from March 18 to March 20.
From: Xinhua
China to improve accessibility of quality children's health care services
A Chinese health official said on March 19 that China will actively improve its children's health services and the accessibility of quality pediatric medical resources.
National Health Commission official Li Dachuan said at a press conference that China will establish two national and five regional children's medical centers, and provide support for 67 key clinical specialties related to pediatric health care.
From: Xinhua
Constructive dialogue, cooperation key to human rights protection: Chinese ambassador
China's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) Office in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland has stressed the need to promote and protect human rights through constructive dialogue and cooperation.
During the 55th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Chen Xu denounced the politicization and instrumentalization of human rights issues in a joint statement delivered on March 20 on behalf of the Group of Friends on the Promotion of Human Rights through Dialogues and Cooperation.
The joint statement pointed out that the politicized and polarized atmosphere is exacerbating at the Human Rights Council, which runs counter to its original intention and violates the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, non-politicization and non-selectivity.
From: Xinhua
Article 23 legislation to create stable, prosperous future for Hong Kong: official
Article 23 legislation will bring about a stable and prosperous future for Hong Kong, Cheung Kwok-kwan, deputy secretary for justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said on March 20.
Cheung made the remarks while addressing the 55th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
From: Xinhua
China to launch law popularization campaign aimed at rural women
China has decided to launch a law dissemination campaign intended for women in rural areas, in a bid to raise their law awareness and offer legal services to those in need, according to an official statement on March 26.
A circular jointly released by Chinese authorities, including the All-China Women's Federation and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, made arrangements for this campaign aimed at women in rural areas, as well as their offspring and families.
From: Xinhua
China healthcare to mobilize professionals for health clinic support
A key focus of China's healthcare sector this year is to mobilize senior medical professionals in urban areas to the grassroots level and strengthen support for primary health clinics, the National Health Commission said during a news conference on March 27.
Mi Feng, spokesman of the commission, said that over the years, China has been continuously channeling quality medical resources to grassroots facilities, improving their infrastructure and services and enhancing the training of local healthcare workers.
From: chinadaily.com.cn
Symposium held to mark 65th anniversary of democratic reform in Xizang
A symposium was held in Beijing on March 28 to mark the 65th anniversary of the democratic reform that ended feudal serfdom in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.
The symposium, which focused on the practice of Chinese modernization in Xizang, was attended by scholars and experts from both China and abroad, either online or offline.
From: Xinhua
