BEIJING — China plans to set up about 100 national backbone cold-chain logistics bases during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the country's top economic planner said on Dec 13.

The move aims to enhance service capacity and boost the efficiency of the cold-chain logistics sector, Zhang Jiangbo, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission told a press conference, adding that the first batch of the 17 key bases is under construction.

To further enhance the cold-chain transportation network, China will establish eight major channels for cold-chain logistics across the board by 2025, linking core areas for farm production and 19 city clusters, according to Zhang.

Moreover, a national-level logistics platform will also be built by then to enhance cold-chain food logistics tracking and management, he said.