Dispute settlement made easier

China will step up efforts to prevent and settle medical disputes to better protect the interest of patients and health workers, according to a regulation promulgated on Aug 31.

The regulation, signed by Premier Li Keqiang, is aimed at maintaining order at medical institutions and ensuring medical security.

The regulation will take effect from Oct 1.

It stipulates that medical institutions must provide diagnosis and treatment services centering on patients, and health professionals should offer more compassionate care.

They are also required to strictly observe relevant laws and norms as well as their professional ethics.

The regulation also requires intensified daily management to strengthen the quality of medical services and security and enhance risk prevention in key procedures. It also prioritizes the importance of communication between medical practitioners and patients to prevent disputes.

The regulation also clarifies the principles, ways and procedures to settle medical disputes, and stressed the important role of mediation in settling such disputes. It also clarifies the principles, approaches and procedures for settlements.

The regulation stipulates the legal liabilities for violations, such as failure to obey the security management requirements, issuing false laboratory reports or distributing inaccurate information on medical disputes.

Education spending to be targeted

Fiscal spending on education will be refined and improved to enhance management and promote a fairer and higher-quality service.

Spending on education will be a priority and education funds will be targeted to solve problems of insufficient and unbalanced development, according to the guideline issued by the General Office of the State Council on Aug 27.

The guideline also requires greater investment in education in the government’s budgetary spending, saying that input in the education sector should maintain a level of no less than 4 percent of GDP.

Moreover, more funds and support from society, such as private schools, personal donations, and education foundations, will be encouraged in the sector, and the government subsidy system will also be improved, the guideline said.

The use of education funds should be well-planned to ensure consistency between education plans at national and local levels and relevant fiscal arrangements, and more fiscal funds should be used to help areas of extreme poverty and students from needy families, according to the guideline.

Efforts should be taken in the coming three years to ensure proper income and treatment for teachers in compulsory education, which covers primary and middle schools, the guideline said, promising equal or better pay for these teachers compared with the average level of civil servants in the same areas.

The guideline also requires proper management of the use of education funds, which includes a comprehensive supervision system, better transparency of budgets and use of relevant funds and intensified auditing that may cover relevant officials and primary and middle school principals.

Tax cuts to help drive economy

Fresh tax cuts will boost the real economy and reduce the burden on market entities, a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Aug 30.

According to a statement released after the meeting, corporate income tax and the value-added tax on foreign institutions’ interest gains in onshore bond market investments will be waived for three years to promote greater opening-up and attract overseas capital.

Companies that have halted production or suspended business as a result of requirements to cut overcapacity or restructuring will see their real estate taxes and urban land use taxes reduced or waived. Investment businesses for social security funds and basic pension insurance funds will also get a tax break, the statement said.

Loans to micro-sized, small and individually owned businesses will be eligible for a value-added tax exemption on interest revenue. The credit limit for such loans will be raised from 5 million yuan ($727,000) to 10 million yuan between Sept 1 this year and the end of 2020, according to the statement.