National parks balance green, economic goals

While some developing countries still struggle to strike a balance between environmental preservation and economic development, many national park dwellers in China find themselves in a winning situation.

According to Zhao Yingmin, vice-minister of ecology and environment, China has found a way to ensure that residents and communities benefit from the creation of national parks by enrolling them in conservation efforts.

Promoting eco-friendly businesses is the key, he said at a news conference on Oct 13 during the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, or COP 15, in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province.

"In particular, by integrating efforts to advance ecological progress with the national poverty eradication drive, we have kept biodiversity intact, boosted the development of local communities and helped residents increase their incomes and eliminate poverty," Zhao said.

China announced its first group of officially designated national parks on Oct 12 at COP 15. The country is placing increasing emphasis on conservation.

Regulations allowing people to run eco-friendly businesses and prioritize job opportunities at national parks have also been enacted, Zhao said, citing the Sanjiangyuan National Park as an example of the proper balance between the creation of national parks and local development.

Created to protect part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, over 17,000 herdsmen have been offered jobs as rangers at Sanjiangyuan, resulting in an average annual increase in income of 21,600 yuan ($3,343).

Digital driver's licenses available in more cities

Drivers in a further 110 cities will be able to apply for digital driver's licenses.

On Sept 1, China began issuing digital licenses in 28 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province.

From as early as Oct 20, drivers in the 110 cities, which include Shanxi province's Taiyuan, Liaoning province's Shenyang and Heilongjiang province's Harbin, will be able to apply for a digital license through an official mobile app, the Ministry of Public Security said on Oct 13.

More than 16 million applications have been submitted so far across the country.

China plans to spread the use of digital driver's licenses across the country in 2022, the ministry said earlier this year.

Telecom, online fraud cases are declining nationwide

A continuous drop in the number of cases related to phone and online fraud has been reported recently, thanks to a national campaign launched last October to combat these crimes.

Compared to the same period last year, cases of fraudulent phone and internet activity decreased in June, July and August, the Ministry of Public Security said on Oct 11.

To date, six nationwide operations have been carried to crack down on criminal gangs and eliminate the fraudulent use of SIM cards and bank cards.

Law enforcement operations have sought to prevent gangs from easily trafficking such cards, which has significantly increased the cost of fraud, and reined in the number of cases.

Police have busted 27,000 gangs since October last year and some 450,000 individuals suspected of involvement have been punished, including over 1,000 who worked for financial institutions and telecommunications companies, the ministry said.