Consumption upgrade and virus testing on government agenda
A number of central government departments, including those responsible for commerce, health, information technology, and cultural relics, have responded recently to matters of public concern.
Ministry highlights role of consumption upgrade
China will press ahead with an action plan aimed at upgrading consumption by encouraging the provision of better quality goods and services to the public, officials and executives decided at a meeting in Beijing on Thursday that was organized by the Ministry of Commerce.
More than 120 key commerce officials and business executives from around the country attended the meeting, at which the ministry urged efforts to upgrade consumption in urban and rural areas.
The domestic market has witnessed a sustained recovery by realizing this year’s plan for the upgrading of consumption and that has provided strong support for people’s livelihoods, the ministry said in a statement released after the meeting. It said it hopes that localities and departments nurture more cities to lead the way in allowing international consumption to flourish and enhancing e-commerce development in rural areas.
Encouraging the consumption of goods and services — including automobiles, home appliances, imported goods and catering services — should be a priority, and events should be held to stimulate demand, the ministry said.
Unremitting efforts to control pandemic urged
Nucleic acid testing for COVID-19 will be ramped up to cover more vulnerable individuals who need to be tested and the frequency of regular testing will also be increased.
Unremitting efforts are required to maintain COVID-19 containment measures to guard against a resurgence of the pandemic this winter and next spring, a video conference held by the National Health Commission on Nov 22 was told.
The teleconference highlighted the need to guard against infections brought into the country by people arriving from overseas and imported goods and packages.
It called for tougher controls on illegal entry at borders and better use of protective gear by individuals at higher risk of infection.
The commission urged local authorities to step up pandemic monitoring and the reporting of related information. Hospital fever clinics should make sure monitoring, reporting and transferring of COVID-19 cases is done properly, the commission said.
Plan for cultural relics ‘gene bank’ released
To bolster the study of cultural relics, improve information sharing and nurture more talent, the National Cultural Heritage Administration will team up with Peking University to build a national “gene bank” for cultural relics of the Chinese civilization.
It aims to collect and preserve typical specimens of archaeological discoveries across the country, according to a strategic cooperation agreement signed in Beijing on Thursday. The bank will promote the development of comprehensive research and will be open to archaeological research institutions throughout the country.
The administration and university will jointly build a high-level cultural relics protection and archaeometry laboratory, a national cultural relics database and an archaeological big data research center. By doing so, a comprehensive scientific research service platform will be established.
5G creating new range of services in China
The booming buildup of telecommunication infrastructure for 5G is catalyzing new services based on the technology in China, with the country launching more than 700,000 5G base stations, with over 180 million terminal connections, by October.
The figures were unveiled by Liu Liehong, vice-minister of industry and information technology, at the World 5G Convention, which opened on Thursday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
Liu said China’s 5G technology is integrating more quickly with the real economy, with an increasing number of terminals being put into use, and the technology is being used in sectors including smart manufacturing, health, energy and agriculture.
He said 253 types of 5G terminals have been licensed in China, including 218 types of 5G mobile phones.