Policy Digest

Ultra-long bonds to be put to use repairing residential elevators

The State Administration for Market Regulation has asked provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to make good use of ultra-long special treasury bonds to support the replacement of old elevators in residential buildings.

Local market regulation authorities should urge elevator manufacturers to offer products with reliable quality, a reasonable price and good after-sales services, the administration said.

Manufacturers should offer new elevator parts with sufficient safety margin and durability, it said. Before signing contracts, they should assess old elevators and make replacement plans, it said, asking them to preserve old parts that are still safe.

The administration called for strict inspection and tests for refurbished elevators and strengthened safety management during their daily operation. It encouraged the application of stable, reliable and smart systems to stop electric bikes from entering the elevators and reduce safety risks.

National energy saving week to get underway from June 23

The country has designated the week starting from June 23 as energy saving week this year. June 25 is the designated national low-carbon day for 2025.

During the week, the National Development and Reform Commission will work with other departments to organize various promotional events to increase the public's awareness and capacity to save energy and lower carbon emissions, according to a notice issued by the commission and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

On June 25, the ministry will work with other departments to hold events that focus on addressing climate change.

The commission and the ministry have encouraged other departments and local authorities to organize their own events and promote low-carbon ways of living, and said they should use both online and offline channels to share experiences and exemplary cases in energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction.

Disaster relief funds allocated in wake of Typhoon Wutip

China has earmarked 40 million yuan ($5.57 million) in central government funding to support emergency rescue and disaster relief efforts in Hainan and Guangdong provinces as well as the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, the Ministry of Finance said on Sunday.

The funding support came as Typhoon Wutip brought heavy rains and caused floods in parts of the southern region, the ministry said in a statement.

The funds, allocated by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management, will be used for the evacuation and resettlement of affected people, the removal of hazardous objects and risk mitigation, as well as inspections on the risks of secondary disasters, it said.

Multiple authorities convened on Saturday to put in place precautionary measures against Typhoon Wutip, as the first typhoon of the year made its landfall on Friday in Dongfang, Hainan. It then made a second landfall around noon on Saturday in Leizhou, Guangdong.

Surveyed unemployment rate continues to decline

China's surveyed unemployment rate has seen continuous declines since March, thanks to robust growth in the economy, stronger policy support and energetic industries, according to a senior official.

Latest figures by the National Bureau of Statistics show that, in May, the surveyed unemployment rate in urban areas was 5 percent, dropping by 0.1 percentage points from the previous month. The number marked a continuous decrease from March, which was 5.4 percent in February while falling to 5.2 percent in March and 5.1 percent in April.

Fu Linghui, spokesman for the NBS, said at a news conference in Beijing on Monday that the stable employment is the result of a growing economy, policy support and dynamic industries.

China Daily - Xinhua