Epidemic containment measures stepped up for couriers

A number of State Council departments, including those responsible for postal services, reform and development, and copyright protection, have responded recently to issues of public concern.

Health checks for delivery workers in COVID-19 battle

The State Post Bureau has urged the country’s courier service providers to bolster epidemic containment measures and step up health checks of their workers to help prevent and control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a notice published on June 16, the bureau called on the express delivery businesses to bolster safety measures in key areas, with steps to sterilize business venues and ramp up management of workers.

Businesses must offer safety education to workers and equip them with personal protection gear including masks, the bureau said.

It highlighted the need to ensure delivery services to communities that have been placed under lockdown and guarantee the supply of materials and packages to residents.

The whole express delivery sector must follow work protocols during the pandemic period and implement social distancing and regular sanitary measures, it added.

The notice followed an uptick in novel coronavirus cases in Beijing and several other provincial-level areas in recent weeks.

Cuts to coal and steel capacity to meet targets

China will continue to phase out its excess coal and steel production capacity and ensure that targets set for the 13th Five Year Plan (2016-20) are met, a government notice said on Thursday.

The notice, jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and five other departments, said the country will move forward with the supply-side structural reform of the steel sector, accelerate the shedding of overcapacity and encourage the green and innovative development of the sector.

The government will prohibit any increase in steel production capacity and prevent the reopening of production lines for substandard products, the notice said.

Authorities must close coal mines that do not meet the country’s safety and environmental standards, and others should be cleaned up and cut inefficient production capacity, the notice said.

The number of coal mines should be reduced to 5,000 or less — down from 5,300 at the end of last year — and production by large mines should account for 96 percent of the country’s total output, the notice said.

It also cautioned against planning new coal mines in national parks, reserves, tourist attractions and near protected water resources.

Campaign targets online copyright infringements

China has launched a nationwide campaign targeting copyright infringement and piracy on livestreaming and e-commerce platforms and on social media networks.

The campaign, jointly launched by the National Copyright Administration and three other departments, will punish copyright infringements related to audiovisual works, including films, short videos, and those transmitted through streaming media.

E-commerce platforms will also come under scrutiny, the statement said, with harsh measures to be taken to curb online sales of pirated books, audiovisual products, electronic publications and other products.

Regulators will also focus on fighting copyright infringements on social networking platforms, and in the field of online education and training.

The crackdown, running from this month to October, is the 16th national campaign targeting online copyright infringement since 2005.

More efforts needed on renovation of rural toilets

A government notice published on Friday called for greater efforts to encourage more farmers to renovate their toilets as part of the country’s broader effort to improve the living environment in rural areas.

The notice, jointly released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and two other departments, said authorities must fully respect the wishes of farmers as they move forward with toilet renovation projects in rural areas.

Authorities must minimize the impact of such projects on the normal life of farmers, it added, and come up with the right technological standards for rural toilets while avoiding sweeping approaches.

Local governments must ensure proper maintenance arrangements are in place after renovation projects are completed, the notice said, adding that authorities must allocate appropriate funding to help maintain toilets.

It is important to ensure that toilet renovation projects are pushed forward in step with the development of rural sewage treatment systems, it added.