Pilot zones to promote culture, tourism integration

China will set up about 30 pilot zones centered on the integrated development of the culture and tourism sectors during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, according to a notice jointly issued last Friday by three ministries, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The notice said the pilot zones will be rich in resources related to the culture and tourism sectors. The zones will also play a strong role in promoting the development of the industries in surrounding areas, the notice said.

Builders will be given one to three years to construct the zones and will receive preferential financial and land use support from the government.

According to the notice, the ministries will also work to upgrade existing forms of integrated cultural and tourism development, such as theme parks and Red tourism that feature tours of sites related to the nation's revolutionary history.

Departments launch campaign to help boost employment

China has launched a campaign to help rural workers who want to find jobs or start businesses, people having trouble finding jobs and companies looking to fill vacancies.

The campaign, which will run from January to March, will be jointly carried out by 11 central government departments, including the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, according to a notice issued on Dec 22.

During the campaign, local authorities will promote employment and entrepreneurship programs and share job postings in such sectors as urban and rural infrastructure construction.

Efforts will also be made to create jobs with relatively low requirements and public service positions in urban and rural areas, according to the notice.

Both online and offline recruitment activities will be organized, it said. Stations that provide employment services will be set up in places where migrant workers are concentrated.

Employment information will be shared with people having difficulty finding work and those who have just been lifted out of poverty, the notice added.

Fund established to assist disaster relief efforts

The central government has allocated more than 5.47 billion yuan ($782 million) for disaster relief this winter and upcoming spring.

The funds will be used to assist victims of disasters and pay for their daily necessities, according to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management.

In a notice issued on Dec 22, the ministries required local authorities to form reasonable relief work plans so they can provide the funds to those in need as soon as possible.

Strict supervision of the rescue fund is needed to avoid misappropriation and embezzlement, the ministries added.