Solid waste ban

China will ban all imports of solid waste from January 1, 2021, authorities have said.

The dumping, stacking and disposal of waste products from overseas on Chinese territory will also be banned, according to a notice jointly issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Commerce, and the General Administration of Customs. The total ban is the culmination of policies introduced since 2017 to phase out the import of solid waste.

Smart technologies

China will help the elderly solve problems in using smart technologies and reserve traditional ways to serve them, according to a plan issued by the General Office of the State Council.

The plan sets objectives for work in the 2020-2022 period focusing on seven types of services and scenarios most frequently used by or facing the elderly, such as day-to-day traveling, medical treatment, recreational activities, and civic services. Improvements will include securing elderly services in emergencies, including optimizing the health screening procedures that require QR codes produced by mobile applications before entering public places, and offering basic services to senior citizens staying at home.

HK economy plans

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Chief Executive Carrie Lam delivered the 2020 policy address on November 24 at a meeting of the HKSAR Legislative Council, highlighting support by the Central Government for Hong Kong to overcome the economic recession.

The policy address, the fourth one since Lam took office in 2017, came as Hong Kong strives to recover from the impacts of prolonged unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic. As Hong Kong experienced multiple, unprecedented blows from social unrest and the pandemic, the primary objective of the policy address is to look at ways to get Hong Kong out of the impasse and to restore confidence, Lam said.

Visit to South Korea

China and South Korea should enhance cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, further develop bilateral ties and strengthen multilateral coordination and cooperation, visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.

Wang made the remarks at a meeting with South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha during his three-day visit to South Korea.

(SD-Agencies)