News-Clips (2022.06-2022.07)

June 2022

Xi congratulates China National Children’s Center on its 40th anniversary

On the occasion marking the 40thanniversary of China National Children’s Center,President Xi Jinping,also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission,sent a congratulatory letter to extend his warm congratulations.Upon the arrival of the International Children’s Day on June 1,Xi Jinping,on behalf of the Party Central Committee,extended festive greetings to all the children across the country,wishing them progress in study,happy lives,and healthy growth.

From:Xinhua

Xinjiang sees better water quality

The water environment in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has been improved,the local ecology and environment authority said on June 2.

Thanks to the strengthened management and supervision of surface water and sewage discharge,94.5 percent of Xinjiang’s surface water sections being assessed registered excellent quality in 2021,an increase of 3 percentage points over the previous year.

From:Xinhua

Xi urges efforts to build beautiful China

Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 5 urged efforts to build a beautiful China in which humanity and nature coexist in harmony and contribute more to jointly constructing a clean and beautiful world.

Xi,also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission,made the remarks in a congratulatory letter to the National Event on the Environment Day held in Shenyang,northeast China’s Liaoning province.

From:Xinhua

UN biodiversity leader praises China’s environmental achievements

China has achieved inspiring and remarkable outcomes in fighting climate change,biodiversity loss and pollution,said Elizabeth Maruma Mrema,executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity,on June 5.

Mrema made the remarks at China’s national event to mark the 2022 World Environment Day,which she addressed via video link.Themed “work together to build a clean and beautiful world,” the event was held in Shenyang,capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province.

From:Xinhua

State Council steps up supervision to ensure workplace safety

The Work Safety Committee of China’s State Council has stepped up supervision on risk-control efforts across the country to ensure workplace safety,the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) told a press conference on June 9.

The committee has completed supervision of workplace safety checks over 28 provincial-level governments and carried out spot checks in 62 municipal governments,said MEM official Wang Chongxian.

From:Xinhua

China cuts carbon emissions per unit of GDP by half from 2005

China has made great achievements in carbon reduction,with its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2021 plunging by 50.3 percent from 2005,an official said on June 15.

Last year,the share of coal in China’s total energy-consumption mix dropped to 56 percent from 72.4 percent in 2005,Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment Zhao Yingmin said at a National Low-carbon Day activity.

From:Xinhua

Xi’s article on China’s human rights development to be published

An article by President Xi Jinping on unswervingly following China’s human rights development path and advancing the development of China’s human rights cause will be published June 16.

The article by Xi,also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission,will be published in this year’s 12thissue of the Qiushi Journal,a flagship magazine of the CPC Central Committee.

From:Xinhua

China to raise desert reclamation endeavors

By 2025,China plans to restore an additional 6.7 million hectares of desert areas with forests and grasslands,adding to the 18.8 million hectares the country has recovered over the last 10 years,the National Forestry and Grassland Administration announced on United Nations’ World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought,which fell on June 17.

From:China Daily

Campaign aims to promote mental health of seniors

China will launch a nationwide campaign this year aimed at promoting the mental health of seniors aged above 65,the National Health Commission said on June 20.

The campaign,expected to run through 2025,will cover 1,000 communities in urban areas and 1,000 rural villages.It will primarily serve seniors who are poor,disabled,live alone,have been left behind in the country side,or who have lost their only child.

From:chinadaily.com.cn

Draft set to strengthen quality,safety of agricultural products

A draft revision to the Law on Quality and Safety of Agricultural Products was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress,China’s top legislature,for a second review on June 21.The draft highlights the responsibilities of ensuring agricultural products’ quality and safety during cold chain transportation and on e-commerce platforms.

From:CHINA DAILY

Chinese,foreign scholars discuss environmental rights

Chinese and foreign scholars and experts discussed the protection and development of environmental rights on June 23 at an online side event of the 50thsession of the UN Human Rights Council.

Members of universities and research institutions at home and abroad discussed the basic theory of environmental rights,environmental rights as constitutional rights,legislation and practice of environmental rights protection,and environmental rights protection in the context of climate change and environmental codes.

From:Xinhua

Crackdown aims to protect public safety

The Ministry of Public Security has launched a 100-day campaign to crack down on major crimes and reduce security risks this summer in a bid to maintain social stability and ensure people’s safety.

The move to improve public security is being made to meet the needs of the people,the ministry said at a meeting held on June 25 to deploy the nationwide campaign,requiring police across the country to tackle crimes that people have strongly complained about to make them feel more secure.

From:China Daily

People’s voices highlighted as key for Party Congress

President Xi Jinping has urged studying and taking the suggestions of netizens on the work related to the upcoming 20thNational Congress of the Communist Party of China,saying that collecting public opinions online is an example of the whole-process people’s democracy.

In a recent instruction made public on June 26,Xi,who is also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee,underscored the importance of better listening to the people’s voices by making use of the internet and other channels.

From:China Daily

Millions of children benefiting from nutrition programs

As of the end of last year,about 13.7 million babies in previously impoverished areas in China have benefited from a nationwide program aimed at improving their nutrition,the National Health Commission said on June 27.

The commission initiated the program in 2012 to provide micronutrient sachets for infants and young children aged 6 months to 2 years in impoverished areas.The food supplement package contains essential proteins,vitamins and minerals to counter malnutrition,and its Chinese name,Ying Yang Bao,has been recognized by international organizations.

From:chinadaily.com.cn

China,some 90 countries highlight economic,social and cultural rights at UN session

China on June 27 delivered a joint statement together with over 90 countries at the 50thsession of the UN Human Rights Council,highlighting the importance of promoting and protecting economic,social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delivering the joint statement at the session,Chen Xu,head of the Chinese Mission to the United Nations in Geneva,said that by compounding the existing socio-economic challenges,COVID-19 has enlarged the structural inequalities within and among states,and those in vulnerable and marginalized situations disproportionately bearing the brunt of the negative impacts.

From:Xinhua

China steps up efforts to fight floods,droughts

China is taking steps to eliminate weak links and tackle potential risks in the fight against floods and droughts,a water resources official said on June 28.

Since the start of the flood season on March 17 this year,15 days earlier than usual,China has seen frequent river flooding due to excessive precipitation,said Yao Wenguang,a disaster prevention official with the Ministry of Water Resources.

From:Xinhua

Seminar held on equal access to justice for special groups

A seminar on equal access to justice for special groups was held on June 30 in Wuhan,capital of Central China’s Hubei province.

A side event of the UN Human Rights Council’s 50thsession,the seminar was attended by over 90 experts and scholars from home and abroad.Attendees discussed equal rights and judicial protection for groups including women,disabled people and the elderly.

From:Xinhua

Success stories shared from China’s legal system improvements

The China Society for Human Rights Studies held a seminar via video link on June 30 about legal protection for marginalized groups,during which it called for closer attention to be given to women,children,people with disabilities,and the elderly.

Themed “Mainstreaming Human Rights: Equal Access to Justice for Marginalized Groups”,the seminar was a side event at the UN Human Rights Council’s 50thsession.

From:chinadaily.com.cn

July 2022

Better education being provided for China’s ethnic groups

Specialized cultural and education policies have been implemented according to China’s 56 ethnic groups in order to fully protect people’s rights to education and to provide firm support for localized development,according to experts attending a recent symposium.

The International Symposium on Educational Development and Rights Protection in China’s Ethnic Minority Areas was held on July 2 in Beijing and was co-organized by the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Society for Human Rights Studies.The symposium was a sideline event of the 50thsession of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

From:China Daily

China beefs up free blood test to help abducted children,women reunite with families

A list of over 5,000 free blood-sampling sites across China was released by the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on July 4 amid a national crackdown on the trafficking of women and children.

The move is to further facilitate timely blood sampling and testing of relevant people,including rescued children and women,those seeking lost families,suspected abductees and unidentified persons,to help them reunite with their families,said the ministry.

From:Xinhua

Xinjiang residents more satisfied with jobs

The way people from all ethnic groups in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region perceive employment has gradually changed from making a basic living to fulfilling their own career ambitions,leading them to become more passionate about their jobs and careers,according to research released on July 4.

People’s incomes have increased steadily in Xinjiang in recent years after more job opportunities have been created to improve people’s well-being,while having a higher income has brought people a sense of security and gain,according to the research conducted by Xinjiang University.Now it’s the norm for people to seek better jobs with better pay,it said.

From:China Daily

China safeguards ethnic minorities’ various rights by law: scholars

Chinese and foreign scholars at a seminar on July 5 said that China,as a unified multiethnic country,safeguards ethnic minorities’ various rights by law and has made important contributions to the development of international human rights cause.

The seminar,a side event of the 50thsession of the United Nations Human Rights Council,was attended by 18 representatives from seven countries.

From:Xinhua

Improved awareness on health grows life expectancy

Life expectancy in China has increased by over 0.6 of a year to 77.93 years as health awareness and access to fitness facilities have been greatly increased in recent years,authorities said on July 5.

Mao Qun’an,director of the National Health Commission’s department of planning and information,said that China ranks high among upper-middle-income countries in terms of key health indicators.

From:CHINA DAILY

Experts call for respect for diversity of human rights development

The international community should respect the diversity of human rights development,experts said on July 5,as opposed to one single model and criteria.

They made the remarks at a side event of the 50thsession of the United Nations Human Rights Council entitled Strengthen Global Human Rights Governance,Promote the Common Values of Humanity via video link.

From:Xinhua

China’s high school enrollment up big in last 10 years

China’s high school gross enrollment rate reached 91.4 percent last year,up 6.4 percentage points since 2012,the Ministry of Education said on July 5.

Lyu Yugang,director of the ministry’s department of basic education,said provincial regions in central and western areas have achieved higher rates of high school student enrollment,with the highest region realizing a rise of almost 30 percentage points.

From:chinadaily.com.cn

Gender equality,child protection promoted

China is promoting gender equality and child protection in the field of international investment and trade by reducing poverty and employment prejudices against women and enhancing supervision to prevent illegal child labor.

At an online event on the sideline of the 50thregular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on July 6,Chen Dapeng,vice-president of the China National Textile and Apparel Council,said that promoting gender equality and empowering women are important targets in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,which have been stressed by the Chinese leadership many times in recent years.

From:China Daily

NGOs share views on climate change,sustainable development challenges

Representatives from nongovernmental organizations shared their views on coping with climate change and contributing to humanity’s sustainable development on July 6.

Speaking at a parallel event of the ongoing 50thregular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council,they appealed for civil wisdom in international affairs and global environmental governance.

From:CHINA DAILY

Journalists witness Xinjiang’s stability,industry,culture

In the old town of Kashgar,Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region,a group of journalists were impressed by the traditional production techniques of clay pottery,mulberry paper,and ethnic musical instruments,as well as modernized restaurants and homestays.

The journalists,some of whom come from Taiwan and Hong Kong,completed an eight-day interview tour in Xinjiang on July 10.

From:Xinhua

Chinese premier stresses importance of workplace safety,prevention of major accidents

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on July 11 urged efforts to ensure production safety and resolutely prevent serious and major accidents to protect people’s lives and property.

Li,also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee,gave the instruction to a national video teleconference held by the Work Safety Committee of China’s State Council.

From:Xinhua

Xi stresses community work in Urumqi inspection

Xi Jinping,general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee,said he attaches great importance to the work at the community level during his inspection in the city of Urumqi,capital of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Xi visited the residential community of Guyuanxiang in the Tianshan district on July 13.

From:Xinhua

Chinese premier pledges to ease burden of receiving medical treatment

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has stressed the need to reduce the burden that people face in receiving medical treatment,and to advance medical reforms.

Efforts should be accelerated to ensure that high-quality medical resources become more broadly available and are distributed in a more balanced manner,Li said in an instruction to a national teleconference on medical reform held in Beijing on July 14.

From:Xinhua

China creates over 6.5 million urban jobs in the first half of this year

China created a total of 6.54 million jobs in its urban areas in the first half of this year (H1),official data showed on July 14.

The figure accounted for 59 percent of the country’s annual target,while the overall employment situation has remained stable,according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

From January to June,850,000 people with difficulty in finding jobs became employed,while 2.5 million unemployed people found new jobs.

From:Xinhua

New guideline makes personal protection orders easier

Frequent insults,slander,threats,stalking or harassing family members will now be identified as domestic violence in line with a new judicial guideline issued by China’s top court.

Harming family members by freezing or starving them also counts as domestic violence under the guideline,which was released by the Supreme People’s Court on July 15.

The guideline on handling personal protection orders will take effect on August 1 and seeks to expand the court’s ability to issue protective orders.

From:chinadaily.com.cn

Judicial system tightened to better protect minors

Comprehensive judicial protection for minors is being improved,with some 2,900 people with criminal records and engaged in industries that have close contact with minors removed from their posts since 2020,senior prosecutors said on July 18.

Procuratorial organs actively perform their functions of legal supervision and work with other departments to promote the establishment of the comprehensive protection of minors,Tong Jianming,deputy prosecutor-general of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate,said at a news conference in Beijing.

From:China Daily

Hu man rights organization elects new president

Padma Choling,vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress,China’s top legislature,was elected as the new president of the China Society for Human Rights Studies on July 19 at the first meeting of its fifth national council in Beijing.

About 200 members attended the meeting,during which they deliberated and adopted the work report of the society’s fourth national council,revised its regulations and elected the members of the fifth national council,standing council and leading bodies.

Jiang Jianguo,a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee and deputy director of the National Ethnic and Religious Committee under the CPPCC National Committee,was elected as the society’s executive vice-president.

From:chinadaily.com.cn

Sense of security remains strong among Chinese over past decade

Over the past decade,a strong sense of security has remained constant among the Chinese people,a Ministry of Public Security official said July 25.

Sun Maoli,head of the legal affairs bureau under the MPS,made these remarks at a press conference on the efforts made by public security authorities across the country in advancing the Peaceful China Initiative in the last 10 years.

In 2021,the number of eight types of serious criminal cases saw a sharp decrease of 64.4 percent from 2012.

From:Xinhua

Beijing forum highlights cooperation in global human rights governance

Participants at this year’s Beijing Forum on Human Rights called for strengthened cooperation in global human rights governance.

Themed “Working Together Towards Fairer,More Equitable,Reasonable and Inclusive Global Human Rights Governance,” the forum is co-organized by the China Society for Human Rights Studies (CSHRS) and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development (CFHRD) on July 26.

About 200 senior officials,researchers and diplomats from nearly 70 countries and international organizations attended the event,the tenth of its kind since 2008.

From:CGTN

Report: Rural incomes to double by 2035

The per capita disposable income of people in rural areas is expected to more than double to reach 42,800 yuan ($6,340) in 2035,and further increase to over 100,000 yuan by 2050,according to a rural development report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on July 26.

The per capita disposable income of rural residents in 2021 was 18,931 yuan.In 2035,the low-income group — the bottom 20 percent of the rural population — is expected to see a 157-percent increase in per capita disposable income compared with last year.

From:CHINA DAILY

Medical sector getting larger and more professional

The number of health workers in China grew at an average annual rate of 5 percent between 2016 and 2020,to reach nearly 14 million at the end of last year,the National Health Commission said on July 28.

There were about 4.3 million registered physicians and some 5 million registered nurses at the end of 2021,and the doctor-nurse ratio has increased from 1:1.07 to 1:1.15,according to Xu Shuqiang,head of the National Health Commission’s Department of Healthcare Reform.

From:chinadaily.com.cn

Public health legislation strengthened

China promptly strengthened legislation and law enforcement to provide solid legal guarantees in the fight against COVID-19 after its initial outbreak,officials said at a news conference on July 28.

After the outbreak of COVID-19,the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress formulated a work plan to strengthen legal protection for public health and revise the law,and made important progress and good results,said Xu Anbiao,deputy head of the Legislative Affairs Commission of NPC Standing Committee.

From:China Daily