Strict safety guidelines set for inland waterways
China has launched a safety overhaul of its inland shipping lanes, aiming to slash waterway transport accidents by more than 50 percent by 2030.
Guidelines on the action, jointly released by the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Emergency Management on July 3, call for major improvements in safety, management and emergency response capacity.
They also mandate strict quality controls for vessels, upgraded green-energy infrastructure and tighter corporate oversight to raise safety standards across the entire shipping sector.
By the end of this year, prefecture-level cities should establish severe-weather warning and response mechanisms for passenger routes and close routes and ferry crossings that fail safety assessments. By the end of next year, key water transport areas should have effective emergency standby coverage, while response times at major inland ports and key waterway sections should be reduced to within 45 minutes.
Three-tier elderly care service network planned
China's Ministry of Civil Affairs has issued comprehensive guidelines on building and managing a three-tier elderly care service network in urban and rural areas. The initiative aims to streamline resource allocation, balance service supply with demand and address the diverse needs of the country's aging population.
The guidelines, issued on July 8, outline the distinct structural functions and operating mechanisms for each level—county-level, township and subdistrict, as well as village and community—of the network.
According to the ministry, China aims to have a foundational network established by 2029, with plans to further improve it by 2035. Once fully operational, it will provide convenient local services for healthy elderly people, professional and family care support for people of advanced age and older people unable to care for themselves, and more accessible assistance for those facing special difficulties.
Campaign to promote rational medication use
The General Office of China's National Health Commission has announced a targeted national campaign spanning 2026-30 to promote the rational use of medication among the elderly.
The campaign aims to popularize knowledge about rational medication use, improve pharmacy services for older people, raise the standard of medication use and promote healthy aging.
Key measures include educating older people about medicines for common diseases, the difference between health products and medicines, and how to identify adverse drug reactions.
Secondary-level hospitals and above are encouraged to establish standardized pharmacy clinics to provide medication reviews, consultations and education, as well as recommendations on adjusting medication regimens.
Training will also be provided for geriatric medical professionals and pharmacists at primary-level medical institutions.
Public-interest activities will be held in communities, including reviews of the use of multiple medicines, assistance in organizing medication lists, and lectures on identifying false advertising for health products.
Source | english.www.gov.cn
Cover image | Guangzhou Daily
