In the past six months, the Chinese government has released many policies to improve people’s lives, in fields such as education, healthcare reform, elderly care, food safety, and transportation.
Five-year plan on education
The State Council issued a circular in January to promote education during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020).
By 2020, enrollment of children attending kindergarten three years before primary education will reach 85 percent, and high school enrollment rate will hit 90 percent.
The plan focuses on increasing reform in teaching and enrollment system, enhancing teacher quality, and improving government and policy support.
It also urged efforts to strengthen vocational education and give rural and poverty-stricken students more access to high-quality education, as part of the country’s poverty alleviation efforts.
In addition, the plan stresses optimizing educational resource distribution and school layout, and coordinated development between urban and rural education.
Details:>> China to improve education during 13th Five-Year Plan period
Joint reform in healthcare sector
The State Council released a series of policies in the past six months to push forward joint reform in public health services, healthcare insurance, and medical production-circulation.
In February, the State Council released a guideline to improve drug production and distribution. The circular introduced a “two invoices” system, which allows the issuing of only two kinds of invoices, referring to one from the manufacturer to the distributor, and one between the distributor and the hospital.
Details:>> State Council issues guideline to further reform on drug production, distribution
The State Council issued a circular in April to promote medical treatment partnerships. It urged establishing a basic framework for treatment partnerships, with trials rolling out nationwide in 2017.
Details:>> State Council promotes medical treatment partnerships
According to a State Council circular in May, China will encourage development of diverse private healthcare services, to meet people’s growing demands in healthcare. By 2020, private healthcare services will be substantially improved with better technology, services, and reputation.
Details:>>China to further support private healthcare services
The State Council in June released a guideline on the implementation of medical insurance payment reform, asking hospitals and medical institutions to practice different payment methods in line with illnesses and treatments, and stressing scientific budget management for medical insurance funds.
Details:>> China to expand medical insurance payment reform
Improve quality of elderly care
The State Council released a guideline in June on providing more quality public services for senior citizens.
The circular sets tasks including providing elderly people with minimum living allowance nationwide and other social assistance, including home nursing, age-friendly communities and transportation services.
Also, people over the age of 80 can re-register their hukou where their offspring are registered, and people over 65 can enjoy free physical examinations.
Details:>> China to further improve quality of eldercare
Further develop commercial pension insurance
China will speed up the development of commercial pension insurance, according to a guideline issued by the State Council in July.
The circular stated that by 2020, a basic system of commercial pension insurance will be built, with diversified services and strong professional competence.
It urged the commercial pension insurance sector to carry out innovation in products and services, promote healthy development of elderly care services, secure capital safety, and improve management.
Details:>> China to further promote commercial pension insurance
Key tasks laid out in food safety for 2017
The State Council released a guideline in April for work on food safety in 2017.
It urged efforts to improve related laws and regulations on food safety, develop and revise national standards in key fields, carry out measures to prevent pollution in agricultural production, and promote the transformation and upgrading of food industries.
According to the guideline, a legal system on food safety should be built, to crack down on illegal activities.
Details:>> State Council lays out key tasks in food safety for 2017
Improve cold chain logistics for food safety
China will accelerate the development of cold chain logistics to safeguard food safety, according to a circular issued by the State Council in April.
By 2020, an improved cold chain logistics service system that features whole-process temperature control and traceable records will be established.
Also, standards, infrastructure, and regulation will be enhanced to ensure food safety and promote efficiency.
Details:>>Improved cold chain logistics to safeguard food security
Intensify crackdown on illegal cooking oil
The State Council issued a guideline in April to establish a long-term mechanism to crack down on the use and sale of illegal cooking oil.
The measures included strengthening the subject responsibility of enterprises, supporting enterprises in harmless disposal of waste and resource use, regulating disposal methods and promoting harmless disposal technology, and cracking down on the use of illegal cooking oil.
Details:>> China to intensify crackdown on illegal cooking oil
Five-year plan on transportation
A five-year plan to develop China’s modern transportation was issued by the State Council in February.
The circular stated that by 2020, a basic comprehensive modern transportation system featuring safety, convenience, high efficiency and environmental protection will be established.
Major tasks include improving transportation networks, building comprehensive transport corridors that connect regions across China, and enhancing balanced development of transportation among regions.
Also, development of smart and green transportation was highlighted.
