Demonstration areas to boost Made in China 2025

China plans to build new national-level demonstration areas for the Made in China 2025 strategy to spur the development of smart, green and service-oriented manufacturing.

The decision was made at a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on July 19.

It was also decided at the meeting that the government will take advantage of a variety of government and industry funds to spur innovation and entrepreneurship, and guide more social capital to support advanced manufacturing. In demonstration areas, the government will offer stock incentives in State-owned enterprises.

The government will also further cut red tape and streamline the approval procedure, improve the business environment, and put more effort into attracting foreign investment. The use and protection of intellectual property rights will be strengthened and government compliance oversight will be reinforced.

Details: >> China launches demonstration areas to boost Made in China 2025

Measures to prevent students from dropping out of school

At the State Council executive meeting on July 19, Premier Li Keqiang decided to create measures to prevent students from dropping out of school during compulsory education.

Subsidies will be issued to poor students, especially for those with disabilities and whose parents have disabilities.

The Premier set a goal that by 2020, 95 percent of students will receive the entire nine-year compulsory education.

The meeting pledged more investment in compulsory education to improve education quality, bridging the gap between rural and urban education.

Measures to promote temporary assistance

At the State Council executive meeting on July 19, Premier Li Keqiang decided to increase the amount of temporary assistance to people in need.

Government investment in temporary assistance will be increased. The government will also procure temporary assistance service from enterprises and nongovernment organizations.

The approval procedure of providing temporary assistance will also be simplified.

More medicines covered by public healthcare insurance

Another 36 medicines have been added to public healthcare insurance coverage, according to a circular recently released by the Ministry of Human Resource and Social Security.

With subsidies from healthcare insurance, the average price of those medicines has been cut by 44 percent compared to 2016.

Big cities urged to develop house-renting market

The Ministry of House and Urban-Rural Development and seven other departments issued a circular urging big and medium-sized cities to develop house-renting market.

Local governments should build official house-renting service platforms to provide timely renting information and services.

They were also urged to support and nurture quality house-renting companies, and enhance the supply of rental houses.

Legal rights of both parties involved in the lease should be protected, especially the rights of tenants.

Plan to resolve back pay to migrant workers

The Ministry of Human Resource and Social Security has issued a three-year plan to resolve the back pay of migrant workers’ wages.

The plan urged employers to sign labor contracts with every migrant worker and set up an employee registry.

It also urged employers in the engineering construction industry to pay migrant workers monthly.

By 2020, back pay of migrant workers’ wages should be completely paid, the plan stated.

Hotline launched for college students in need

A hotline has been recently launched by the Ministry of Education for college students having questions on education subsidies. From July 21 to Sept 10, students in need can dial +86-010-66097980 and +86-010-66096590 for help.

It is the 13th consecutive year that the government has provided the hotline service.

The Ministry of Education asked local governments and universities supervised by the central government to launch the hotline.

Crack down on false advertising of food

A program to crack down on false advertising of food was launched by nine government departments, including the Ministry of Public Security and State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Supervision on the production and marketing of food, especially healthful food, will be strengthened. Production and advertising of food without official permission or lying in the advertisement will be cracked down on.

From Jan 1 to June 30, 2018, the State Council food safety office will organize a special inspection on some regions. Local governments failing to take effective measures will be reported.