Battle against pollution

China has unveiled a guideline to comprehensively enhance ecological and environmental protection and win the battle against the pollution of air, water and soil.

The guideline, published on Sunday, specified pollution prevention and control targets the country expects to achieve by 2020 and beyond. China will develop and implement a three-year plan to fight air pollution, with much focus on regions like the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and its neighboring areas, and the Yangtze River Delta.

Abortion regulation

Women in Jiangxi Province who are at least 14 weeks pregnant now need to show medical evidence and receive government approval before getting an abortion, a policy the provincial authorities see as a measure that can help balance the sex ratio and protect unborn girls.

Jiangxi Health and Family Planning Commission issued a notice that women who have been pregnant for 14 weeks and above and who wish to have abortions must have signed approvals by three medical professionals confirming that the operations are medically necessary.

Foreign tourists

Hainan Province has come up with a three-year action plan to make the island a world-class tourist destination.

By 2020, Hainan plans to increase the number of foreign visitors to 2 million a year, and will try to bring in 50,000 migrant workers with English language skills from countries like the Philippines, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Nepal, the English-language Global Times reported on Friday, citing the official website of Hainan Provincial Government.

Reserve ratio cut

China will lower some banks’ reserve requirement ratios (RRR) by 50 basis points July 5, the country’s central bank said on Sunday.

The People’s Bank of China will cut the RRR for most banks to support qualified debt-to-equity swap programs and help small businesses in financing. The move is an implementation of decisions made at a State Council executive meeting June 20, the central bank said. (SD-Agencies)