Tough measures reduce number of drug crimes

China has effectively curbed the incidence of drug crimes by employing tough measures, the Ministry of Public Security said at a news conference on June 21.

The country cracked 1.07 million cases involving drug crimes from 2013 to 2022, capturing 1.28 million suspects and seizing more than 650 metric tons of drugs, the ministry revealed.

The number of drug cases cracked across the country dropped from a peak of more than 160,000 in 2015 to 35,000 in 2022, it said.

The country has also been working actively to improve the rehabilitation of drug users. By the end of 2022, there were about 1.12 million users in the country, a year-on-year drop of 24.3 percent, according to a report released by the office of China National Narcotics Control Commission.

In another development, the National Immigration Administration said immigration authorities across the country cracked 361 drug cases at ports and borders in the first half of this year, capturing 528 suspects and seizing 4.74 tons of drugs.

NEVs, charging facilities see explosive growth

China has made significant progress in establishing charging facilities for new energy vehicles, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

The number of such facilities rose from fewer than 100,000 in 2015 to more than 6.3 million by the end of May this year, the commission said at a briefing on June 21.

The numbers of both new energy vehicles and charging facilities in the country have "grown explosively" since 2021, the commission said, adding that 65 percent of the country's expressway service areas are equipped with charging stations.

Annual sales of new energy vehicles in 2022 exceeded 6.88 million, about four times more than in 2020, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

In addition, about 3 million new energy vehicles were produced and about 2.9 million were sold in the country in the first five months of this year, the ministry said.

Fisheries urged to ensure aquatic product supply

The General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has issued a notice asking local fishery authorities to guarantee the stable production and supply of aquatic products in summer.

Summer is an important time for the growth of aquatic animals and plants, but the frequent occurrence of extreme weather during the season, such as droughts, high temperatures, typhoons and floods, can have a strong negative impact on aquaculture, the notice said.

Local fishery authorities should enhance communication with meteorological, water resources and marine departments to monitor climate disasters and issue alerts in a timely manner, the notice said.

It also asked local authorities to watch out for and issue alerts about diseases sustained by aquatic animals, help aquatic farms prevent and treat the diseases and strengthen inspection to ensure medications are used properly.