Rules rolled out on export of second-hand vehicles

The Ministry of Commerce, together with four other central government bodies, said in a notice that they have decided to allow all regions in the country to engage in the second-hand automobile export industry. Specific requirements and procedures to standardize the export of second-hand vehicles were also released.

China picked 10 provinces and cities in 2019 as the first in the country to conduct such business. The country added more provinces and cities to the list in the following years.

The second-hand automobile export industry has helped stabilize and improve China's foreign trade, the notice said.

The notice required local authorities to set up their own special work mechanisms to ensure the healthy and sustainable development of the second-hand automobile export industry, asking them to focus on ensuring the quality of the automobiles exported and orderly operations, and to prevent excessive competition.

Companies should obtain third-party reports showing that their exports of second-hand automobiles meet China's quality requirements, the notice said, adding that if import countries have their own standards for second-hand automobile imports, the companies should also make sure that their products meet these standards.

Nation seeks to expand its waste recycling system

The country aims to set up a waste recycling system covering all sectors and a resource recycling industry with an annual output of 5 trillion yuan ($695 billion) by 2025.

According to a guideline issued by the General Office of the State Council, the country's annual utilization of bulky solid waste, such as tailings, fly ash, coal gangue, slag, byproduct gypsum, construction waste and crop straw, should reach 4 billion metric tons by that year.

In addition, its annual utilization of scrapped steel, iron, copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, paper, plastic, rubber and glass should reach 450 million metric tons by then, the guideline said.

By 2030, China should have a waste recycling system that is comprehensive, highly efficient and orderly, where all kinds of waste are fully exploited, according to the guideline.

7 ski and tourist resorts get national designation

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the General Administration of Sport designated a third batch of national ski and tourist resorts earlier this month.

The seven resorts are located in the provinces of Shanxi, Jilin, Heilongjiang and Gansu and the Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous regions.

In an attempt to promote the ice-and-snow economy, the ministry and the administration issued a notice in September, encouraging provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities across the country to recommend local ski resorts as candidates for national ski and tourist resorts.

To date, the two departments have granted national designation to 26 ski and tourist resorts.