Policy Digest

Measures are taken to safeguard crop harvest

In conjunction with three other central government bodies, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has issued a notice asking regions to work hard to tackle flooding, drought and other forms of extreme weather to guarantee the autumn crop harvest.

The notice, which was issued by the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the China Meteorological Administration, urges local authorities to understand the importance of the task.

Authorities are to provide more detailed weather forecasts and disaster alerts, and must ensure that counties and villages receive the forecasts and alerts in time.

Local agricultural authorities are to offer technical guidance to farmers to prevent, or to reduce potential loss from natural disasters, and water resource authorities are to run projects in a scientific manner to both minimize the harm presented by flooding, and to store sufficient water to deal with droughts.

Emergency management authorities are to prepare disaster relief supplies and must respond to disasters in a timely manner, while meteorological authorities should also issue alerts in time and run weather modification projects when appropriate, the notice stated.

NEV registration rises in first half of this year

More than 3.12 million new energy vehicles were registered in China in the first half of this year, marking a year-on-year increase of 41.6 percent, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

The number of NEVs in the country stood at 16.2 million by the end of June, accounting for 4.9 percent of all automobiles.

Additionally, 11.7 million new automobiles were registered in the first half of this year, marking a 5.8 percent year-on-year increase.

As many as 88 cities are now home to over a million automobiles. Beijing and Chengdu have more than 6 million automobiles each, while Chongqing, Shanghai and Suzhou have more than 5 million each.

China is also home to an active trade in used automobiles.

Better protection of cultural heritage urged

Local authorities in charge of cultural heritage must strengthen efforts to protect sites during the upcoming flood season, the National Cultural Heritage Administration said.

In a notice released earlier this month, the administration said that authorities, as well as cultural heritage sites and museums, should consult with local departments of emergency management, meteorology and water resources to assess the potential risk posed by flooding.

They should examine locations such as archaeological excavation sites, as well as immovable cultural heritage, including bridges, city walls, wooden architecture and grottoes, to uncover and address any dangers, and take measures to ward off the threat of flooding, among other requirements.

Baselines set for orderly urban regeneration

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has issued a notice for the promotion of orderly urban regeneration, setting baselines that are not to be crossed.

The notice states that small-scale and gradual urban regeneration projects are encouraged, and urges local authorities to avoid mass demolition and construction.

Local authorities should also not change place names that have been used for a long time or which have historical significance at will, nor should they arbitrarily move or demolish historical buildings.

The ministry urged authorities to respect nature and avoid damaging natural landscapes during the process of urban regeneration.

It stressed the importance of safety, tasking local authorities with renovating dilapidated buildings and aging gas pipelines.

?