Departments and ministries under the State Council, China’s cabinet, have responded to a number of public concerns in the past week, including an update on the progress of the unified medical treatment settlement and reimbursement network, notification of the cancellation of a batch of professional access qualifications, a food safety reminder and a notice on checking residents’ identification cards.

A special leading group has been established by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security to guide the construction of the nation’s unified network of medical treatment settlement and reimbursement. Once complete, the network will help citizens solve the problem of prepayment during medical insurance settlement and reimbursement, the ministry said.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission said on June 17 that China will promote “internet plus health and medical treatment” and establish a national application platform of medical and health information by 2020. Big data to be collected as part of this drive include information about individual health, medical services, disease control, health security and food security.

The State Council announced its decision on canceling a batch of professional qualification certificates, with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security responding that in the future the authorities will not approve new professional access qualifications without legal basis.

Several conflicts resulting from the police checking residents’ identification cards have been reported recently, drawing wide public concern. However, the Ministry of Public Security responded that checking residents’ identification cards was the duty and responsibility of public security officers and was authorized by law. It is also an important measure in the fight against violations and crimes, maintaining public security and safeguarding the citizens’ legal rights, the ministry said. Every year, public security organizations discover and detain many criminal suspects and fugitives by checking identification cards, it added.

The Ministry of Education has announced that it will launch a special inspection into food wastage at some local primary and middle schools. School principals should play a key role in educating staff and students about saving food, the announcement said, adding that primary and middle schools should establish a management mechanism to save food.

The China Food and Drug Administration has released a reminder on food safety. It urges consumers to only purchase food from formal and reliable channels that has not exceeded its expiration date and to properly store food, and pay attention to hygiene when processing food or cooking.

The Civil Aviation public security authority said it has dealt with two incidents that seriously undermined civil aviation transport order. Passengers who violated the law and regulations while taking the flights of Hainan Airlines and Junyao Air have been detained and fined. The Civil Aviation Public Security Bureau said it will strictly crack down on violations that disturb normal transport order.