Vaccines and college entrance exams among key issues

New HPV vaccine available

The China Food and Drug Administration has conditionally approved the human papilloma virus vaccines, that can tackle nine versions of the virus, to be sold on the Chinese mainland.

The HPV vaccines are for females aged 16 to 26, and greatly reduce their chances of contracting HPV-led diseases such as cervical, vulvar, vaginal and anal cancers and genital warts. Many females on the mainland go to Hong Kong for HPV vaccination.

Dates set for college exams

The Ministry of Education recently announced the dates for this year’s college entrance examination, which is also known as gaokao in China.

The announcement said students will take their exams in Chinese language and math on June 7. They will also take English-language exams and other subjects the next day. Listening tests will be held before the English-language exam starts, the ministry said.

Sports venues to charge less

The Ministry of Finance said greater support will be given for large gymnasiums and stadiums, which should offer services to the public for free or at low admission charges.

Subsidies of 930 million yuan ($147 million) were allocated from the central budgets to public sports venues, the ministry said. These subsidies were to cover expenditures for basic public sports services such as public gymnasiums and stadiums or offer free or cheaper services.

Crackdown on food fraud

By March, food and drug authorities had cracked down on more than 8,000 cases of illegal promotion and fraud in the general and healthcare food sectors, said the State Administration for Market Regulation.

In July, the State Council office for food safety and another eight departments started a national crackdown on fraud and illegal promotion of healthy food. Evidence had been collected via inspections, complaints and reports from consumers. After investigations, punishment had been given to those who did not get licenses for food production, or change techniques, or illegally used additives, or labeled their products with illegal advertisements, the State Administration for Market Regulation said.

The administration said further efforts will be made to further crack down on illegal operations violating food safety regulations. Endeavors will be enhanced to fight against any fraud and disclose relevant information in a timely manner to ensure food safety for the public.

Phones to monitor water quality

The public can scan QR codes of ground water quality control stations to check out water quality when stations are completed, said the Ministry of Environment and Ecology.

The ministry is accelerating building these stations around China to monitor the quality of ground water. The QR code and applications will be available for the public to find relevant information and in the meantime the public can upload pictures of water pollution as a way to further control pollution, the ministry said.