Ministries allocate funds to aid flooded regions

The Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Water Resources have allocated 309 million yuan ($42.7 million) to help provincial-level governments deal with floods.

The seven regions receiving the funds are the provinces of Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong and Guizhou, and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance.

The funds are meant to help the regions repair agricultural and water facilities damaged by floods, replant crops and take specific measures to recover from and prevent floods.

Many regions in the southern parts of China have suffered heavy and extensive rainfall since the flood season began in April, leading to damaged crops and facilities.

According to an analysis issued on the website of the Ministry of Emergency Management, there will likely be an increased risk of floods, gales and hail this month in regions south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and in the eastern part of South China.

Notice aims to make mountain sports safer

The General Administration of Sport of China has issued a notice to better ensure the safety of participants in high-risk mountain sports events.

The administration asked local sports authorities to examine the qualifications of staff members of organizations holding such events more closely, as well as the equipment needed.

They were also asked to conduct stricter checks on communication methods, safety measures, modes of transport, the health and food conditions for participants and emergency rescue procedures for the events.

The administration said local governments and relevant institutions must halt the events immediately when encountering risky situations they can't handle, including the sudden occurrence of harmful weather conditions.

It classified high-risk cross-country mountain sports events into two categories according to factors such as the altitude the events are held at and the length of the events, and set different requirements for approving them.

The administration also required that inspectors be assigned to the events to detect any safety issues and called for establishing a long-term training system covering athletes, sports associations, local administrations of sport, and sponsors and organizers of mountain running games to raise their awareness of safety measures.

Green construction campaign extended

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and five other central government departments have decided to expand a campaign to boost rural consumption of green construction materials to regions across the country.

Launched in 2022, the campaign was carried out in rural areas in certain provinces for trials over the past two years.

Announcing the decision to expand the campaign in a recent statement, the six departments said the nationwide campaign will run until 2026.

They asked local authorities to select counties and townships that have sound construction industries and favorable locations, and allow major local construction companies to play a leading role in promoting the coordinated development of the supply chain.

More brands and products should be included in the campaign, the departments said, adding it should expand from only providing green construction materials to providing "green construction material systematic solutions" for rural areas.

The campaign should also develop economical and practical solutions to improve the energy efficiency and earthquake resistance of buildings in rural areas, which are deemed urgent matters.