Govt policy moves in the past weeks

Areas will strengthen sustainable progress

The State Council has approved Shenzhen, Taiyuan and Guilin to build innovation demonstration zones to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The country aims to open around 10 national development zones to seek solutions to sustainable growth, according to a State Council plan released in December 2016. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is part of a blueprint to eradicate poverty worldwide by 2030.

By piloting innovative projects in the development zones, China hopes to replicate success nationwide and offer Chinese solutions to other countries.

Targeting problems in air and water pollution, the zones are required to make innovative solutions to create a replicable model and set an example for resource-based regions in the course of transformation and upgrading.

Efforts to make elevators even safer

China will enhance efforts to improve the quality and safety of elevators as the General Office of the State Council issued a document on the issue on Feb 9.

The document said that in recent years, though elevator-related accidents and deaths have steadily declined in China, elevator failures and accidents still remain common, the circular stated. The circular put forward a goal of establishing an elevator quality and safety system to ensure that indicators such as the number of accidents and deaths per 10,000 elevators reach the level of developed countries by 2020.

The circular urged to improve the quality of elevators, enhance hazard control and renovation, optimize elevator use and maintenance, and adjust inspection and detection methods, among others.

As supporting measures, local governments are required to strengthen supervision and management by building an elevator quality and safety coordination mechanism and incorporating elevator safety into the accountability system. Efforts will also be made to improve regulations and standards as well as increase publicity and education to raise awareness about safety.

Plan to build airport in Ezhou approved

The State Council and the Central Military Commission on Feb 23 approved the construction of a civilian airport in Ezhou, Hubei province in a jointly released statement.

According to the statement, the airport will be located in Echeng district, and will serve as an international logistics hub, and a total of 37.26 billion yuan ($5.9 billion) will be earmarked for construction. Terminals, transfer centers and other facilities will be designed to handle passenger traffic of 1 million people and cargo throughput of 2.45 million tons per year, based on 2025 projections.

Integration of military and civilian functions of the airport will be stressed, said the statement, while the airport should be energy-efficient and meet regulations on environmental protection.