Customs cracks down on IPR infringement

The General Administration of Customs has launched a campaign to crack down on intellectual property rights infringement.

During the campaign, efforts will be made to enhance supervision over IPR infringement of goods transported to North America, Europe, South America, Africa and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, said the country's top customs authority.

Goods prone to IPR infringement such as food, medicine and personal care products transported to North America, Europe and Japan will also be closely monitored, it said.

According to the administration, efforts will also be made to strengthen cooperation among local customs authorities and promote information sharing among different departments.

Customs seized 6,280 batches of goods that infringed on intellectual property rights in the first two months of this year, up 237 percent year-on-year, according to GAC data.

Meanwhile, in January and February, customs nationwide approved 2,862 applications for IPR protection, up 5 percent from the same period last year.

Ministry to boost high-quality NEVs

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on March 11 that it will strengthen quality supervision of new energy vehicles and promote the integration of technologies such as electrification and intelligent networking in order to boost the high-quality development of NEVs.

According to the ministry, efforts will be made to unite NEV and battery companies, industrial institutions, colleges and universities to jointly make breakthroughs in related technologies.

It will also improve services related to the recharging and parking of NEVs and promote cooperation to effectively boost the level of supporting industrial chains.

According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China's auto sales rose 364.8 percent year-on-year to 1.455 million units in February, with the figure for NEVs surging 584.7 percent to 110,000 units.

Xiao Yaqing, head of the ministry, said earlier this month that the ministry and related departments had jointly published over 60 policies and measures to support the development of the NEV industry in recent years, with substantive breakthroughs being achieved.

While the development of NEVs has good momentum, the sector is still in a critical period and faced with fierce market competition. Efforts also need to be made to improve user experience, Xiao said.

Greater protection for key wildlife species

China will work out special protection plans for key wildlife species including Hainan gibbons and pangolins, as the country sets out to formulate a conservation plan for animals and plants from this year to 2025.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration said on March 3 that it will increase efforts in evaluating and identifying the key habitats of terrestrial wild animals.

According to the administration, the country has so far seen stable captive breeding of more than 100 rare and endangered wild animals.

The number of wild giant pandas in China has increased to 1,864, and the number of wild and captive crested ibises has surpassed 5,000, with the populations of both species achieving restorative growth.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of China joining the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.