Refer China: January 2020

The World Health Organization Declares 2019-nCoV A PHEIC

The World Health Organization has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) after an emergency committee reconvened Thursday in Geneva.

Last week, the organization said the virus did not yet constitute the emergency declaration. But with rising numbers and evidence of person-to-person transmission in a handful of cases outside of China, WHO leadership called the committee back together over concerns of a larger outbreak down the line.

"The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday. "Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it."

WHO defines a public health emergency of international concern as "an extraordinary event" that constitutes a "public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease" and "to potentially require a coordinated international response." Previous emergencies have included Ebola, Zika and H1N1.

Committee chairman Dr. Didier Houssin said the decision to recommend the declaration to WHO leadership was almost unanimous -- citing a growing number of cases in China, an increase in the number of countries impacted, and that "some countries have taken questionable measures concerning travelers."

Houssin said that declaring the coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern would allow WHO to better coordinate the international response and hold nations to account if they overstep the organization's standards -- which may pertain to travel, trade, quarantine or screening.

Ghebreyesus commended China for its actions to limit the spread of the virus, saying that "we would have seen many more cases outside China by now -- and probably deaths -- if it were not for the government's efforts.

"Let me be clear: This declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China," Ghebreyesus said. "On the contrary, WHO continues to have confidence in China's capacity to control the outbreak."

Source: CNN Health/Twitter

Editor: Crystal H

Efforts Underway to Develop 2019-nCoV Vaccine

A group of Chinese institutions is stepping up vaccine development for the novel coronavirus.

China's prestigious Tsinghua University has set up a research team with rich experience in developing vaccines and agents against coronaviruses known to infect humans, including the SARS virus.

Lead researcher Zhang Linqi said developing a vaccine against the virus will be much easier than finding an HIV vaccine. His team is also working with hospitals across China to conduct clinical trials.

Shanghai East Hospital of Tongji University and Stermirna Therapeutics Co., Ltd. have launched a program to develop an mRNA vaccine targeting the novel coronavirus. Developers say manufacturing the vaccine samples will need no more than 40 days.

Researchers from Fudan University, also based in Shanghai, are making joint efforts on the virus vaccine development with their U.S. counterparts from Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas Medical Branch and the New York Blood Center.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has started developing vaccines after isolating the first strain of the novel coronavirus earlier this week.

So far, five strains of the virus have been isolated and two of them are ready for vaccine development. According to scientists, a tentative vaccine could be available within three months.

Chinese companies are also participating in the vaccine research. Alibaba Group said it will offer free access to all artificial intelligence capabilities needed for the virus vaccine development.

To combat the spread of the virus, China's Ministry of Science and Technology has recently launched an emergency project offering sci-tech support across 10 aspects, including vaccine development.

Source: xinhua

Editor: Crystal H

Foreign Affairs Office: A Letter to Expats in Shenzhen

Dear international friends,

Recently, pneumonia cases caused by the novel coronavirus have been confirmed in multiple cities in China, including Shenzhen. In response, Shenzhen Municipality is sparing no effort to contain the spread of the virus and safeguard the lives of you and Shenzhen residents. Currently, a wide range of preventive and control measures are being rolled out. For your health, we recommend the following practices:

I. Follow official information outlets. Please refer to Shenzhen Health Commissions official website and Wechat official account, Shenzhen Government Online (http://www.sz.gov.cn/en/index.html), EyeShenzhen (http://www.eyeshenzhen.com/), i Shenzhen App among other official information sources for official news updates on the latest developments of the epidemic, list of designated hospitals, and preventive and control guidance, etc. If you have any questions, please call the government service hotline:12345. You can also check out the updates issued by National Health Commission of China for information countrywide. Do not believe information from unofficial sources.

II. Strengthen prevention and self-protection. Please refrain from outdoor activities. Avoid crowded places and gatherings. Try not to visit patients in hospital. If need be, wear a face mask correctly and dispose of used masks appropriately. Keep good personal hygiene by washing your hands often. Cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or your flexed elbow. Keep rooms clean and well ventilated. Avoid contact with wildlife or poultry. Only eat meat and eggs that are well cooked. A good rest and a healthy diet can reinforce your immune system.

III. Join in our mass preventive and control efforts. If you have been to Hubei Province or other infected areas or had contact with people from these areas over the past 14 days, please report to your employer or your community work station, and note your time of arrival in Shenzhen, the transport you took, your seat number, the areas you have been to and people you had contact with over the past 14 days. Pay close attention to your health status and refrain from outdoor activities. Please cooperate with government, community or medical personnel if they inquire about your information.

IV. Go to hospital as soon as possible if suspected symptoms occur. If you have developed suspected symptoms including fever, fatigue, cough and chest oppression, please go to the fever clinic of a designated hospital nearby. You and accompanying persons shall wear masks. Avoid taking public transport such as bus and metro. Windows of the cars should stay open. Upon arrival, go to the receptionist first and follow the guidance of medical staff.

Lets stay confident and fight the virus together. We wish you a happy Chinese new year and good health!

Foreign Affairs Office

Shenzhen Municipal Peoples Government

January 29, 2020

Source: Foreign Affairs Office of Shenzhen Municipal Peoples Government

Editor: Crystal H

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CoronaVirus:Global Health Emergency>9800 infected, 213 deaths

Source: China Daily, People's Daily, CGTN, SCMP, Global Times, Xinhua, BBC, JobTube, Majdi

Major News

Global Health Emergency Declared

The World Health Organization said the fast-spreading coronavirus is a global health emergency a rare designation that helps the international agency mobilize financial and political support to contain the outbreak, triggering coordinated global action to prevent the spread of the virus.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the declaration was not a vote of no confidence in China, rather it is necessary because human-to-human infections have been confirmed in other countries.

"The speed with which China detected the outbreak, isolated the virus, sequenced the genome, and shared it with WHO and the world are very impressive and beyond words. So is China's commitment to transparency and supporting other countries. In many ways, China is actually setting a new standard for outbreak response, and this is not an exaggeration," he added.

It is the sixth time that WHO has declared a PHEIC since the designation was adopted in 2005. Declarations were announced previously for: the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009; outbreaks of polio and Ebola in 2014; the Zika virus epidemic in 2016; and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Time for facts, not fear

He urged the public to remain calm, saying WHO wasnt recommending measures that unnecessarily interfere with international trade or travel. He said China was doing everything it could to contain the outbreak. This is the time for facts, not fear. This is the time for science, not rumors. This is the time for solidarity, not stigma, Tedros said.

Human-to-human transmission in US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Illinois public health officials confirmed Thursday the nations first person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus.

The new patient is the spouse of the Chicago woman who brought the infection back from Wuhan, China. The transmission makes the U.S. at least the fifth country where the infection is now spreading through human-to-human contact.

Three Countries Confirm 1st Case

On Thursday, a 38-year-old Chinese female was tested positive for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the first case in the Philippines.

The woman arrived in the Philippines from Wuhan, China, via Hong Kong on Jan 21. She was admitted to a government hospital on Jan 25 after experiencing a mild cough, she is currently asymptomatic, which means she has no fever and no other signs and symptoms.

India on Thursday reported its first confirmed case of novel coronavirus in Kerala. The patient is being kept in an isolation ward at a hospital.

Italy confirmed its first two novel coronavirus cases, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced at a press briefing on Thursday night. Two Chinese tourists infected with the virus are in stable condition and being treated in isolation.

Daily Subsidy to Medics

China will provide a daily subsidy of 300 Yuan per person to medics in close contact with people with coronavirus.

Nationwide Football Suspended

All football matches in China will be delayed due to the outbreak of epidemic, said Chinese Football Association.

Meanwhile, the 2020 World Athletics Indoor Championships, originally scheduled to be held in China's Nanjing from March 13 to 15, will be postponed to 2021.

Banks to Ease Loan Repayment

China will extend repayment plans for personal mortgage loans and credit cards of people who temporarily lose their sources of income due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, said the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.

Analysts are still waiting for details on which people will be defined as those who have temporarily lost their sources of income due to the coronavirus outbreak and how banks will adjust personal mortgage loan repayment plans for these people.

Evacuated Japanese Tested Positive

Three of the 206 Japanese people evacuated to Tokyo from Wuhan on Wed were confirmed to be infected with novel coronavirus.

Robots used to deliver medicine

Visa policies Adjusted

[SHINE] Several countries have adjusted their visa policies for Chinese citizens following the outbreak of coronavirus-related, Chinas immigration authorities have learned.

From 12pm on January 29, all Chinese citizens with passports issued in Hubei Province, as well as those who have been to the province in the past 14 days, will be denied entrance to Singapore or transfer at its airport.

From January 28, the Philippines has stopped issuing visa on arrival to all Chinese citizens, and Malaysia has suspended entrance to Chinese citizens born in Hubei or with passports issued in the province.

Kazakhstan has suspended its 72-hour transit-free policy to Chinese citizens, and suspended work at the Horgos International Frontier Cooperation Center.

Also from January 28, Chinese citizens will have to fill in and submit a health declaration form when entering Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the UK, France, Italy, the UAE and Australia.

Countries Closing Borders

Several countries have announced closing borders with China to prevent spread of the coronavirus, as of now: Russia, North Korea, Mongolia, and Israel.

Infected People Spitting, Criminal Act

Hubei issued a notice that carriers of coronavirus who spit in public, or coronavirus-suspected who refuse to accept quarantine, compulsory isolation or treatment, and those who negligently cause the spread of infectious diseases will be investigated for criminal responsibility.

18,000 Expats Using Community Groups

A group of expats with the support of OneTube Technology (AKA: JobTube) have started an online initiative; utilizing the power of knowledge sharing. The community helps in validating authentic news and announcements about the outbreak; provide information about the recent news and transport status; give tips about buying shortage goods.

To join the communities or volunteer as community leader; scan the QR code.

Virus Real Time Data, in English

Now you can get live updates, with English interface, about Wuhan virus. The infection cases are shown in every province, city and town/village. Scan the below QR and share the below poster with your friends to spread the word.

For more Wuhan Virus News:

App To Assist Avoiding Wuhan Virus & Finding Clinics
Wuhan Virus Live Data, now available in English
I survived Wuhan Virus, This is my Story - Interview!
The Source of Wuhan Virus Has been Confirmed Now!
How to Keep Yourself Safe from the Wuhan Virus!
8 Key Questions About New Coronavirus

Multiple Provinces Issue Letters to Foreigners in China!

Source: JobTube, Arianna J., Josh B.

According to China Daily on January 30, currently 16 Malaysian and Bolivian tourists on the Flight OD688 from Sabah Malaysia to Tianjin were directly sent to the quarantine area in Tianjin along with other Chinese passengers on arrival. This was due to Wuhan passengers being onboard and three of them having high fevers.

In addition, the relevant departments of Dongli District are trying their best to meet the needs of the quarantined people, ensure the supply of drinking water, toiletries, daily necessities, etc., and ensure that the waste generated every day is disinfected and treated innocuously in accordance with the regulations.

It is reported that since January 29, in Tinajin, work permit applications can be approved without meeting, for a temporary time.

On January 29, 2020, Tianjin Foreign Affairs Office issued a multilingual open letter to foreigners living and working in Tianjin, providing a 24-hour service hotline, relevant prevention/work guidelines and medical information. Although no call has been received from foreigners so far, the service staff will be on duty 24 hours a day.

Multiple Provinces and Cities Issue Letters to Foreign Friends in China

In response to the severe situation of pneumonia in Wuhan, letters to foreign friends have been issued by the local foreign affair bureaus across the country, aiming to help them pass this special period safely in China.

List - A Letter to Foreign Friendspart

1. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Chengdu, issued on 26th January:

http://cdcrj.chengdu.gov.cn/cdcrj/c112386/2020-01/26/content_791905da1776405a9eb76469f701c422.shtml

2. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Chongqing, on 27th January:

https://www.qianjiang.gov.cn/html/11/47745.html

3. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Dujiangyan, on 28th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657033244737064326&wfr=spider&for=pc

4. To Foreign Friends in Changsha, on 27th January:

http://news.changsha.cn/xctt/html/110187/20200128/66965.shtml?spm=zm5014-001.0.0.1.1T5WKE

5. A Letter to All Expats in Guangzhou, issued on 28th January:

http://m.people.cn/n4/2020/0129/c3522-13632366.html

6. A Letter to Expats in Shenzhen, issued on 30th January:

http://fao.sz.gov.cn/xxgk/zyxw/202001/t20200130_18993449.htm

7. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Tianjin, issued on 29th January:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Mg7WLwF1dSvsk-mAJty-GQ

8. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Hangzhou, issued on 29th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657133801052852055&wfr=spider&for=pc

9. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Ningbo, issued on 30th January:

http://www.bl.gov.cn/art/2020/1/30/art_114220_9962408.html

10. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Jinhua, on 27th January:

https://www.jhnews.com.cn/xw/sh/202001/t20200130_201492.shtml

11. A Letter to Foreign Friends in Jiangsu, issued on 29th January:

http://news.xhby.net/js/sz/202001/t20200130_6487181.shtml

12. Message to All Foreign Friends in Suzhou issued on 29th January:

http://www.subaonet.com/2020/0130/2632168.shtml

13.A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Taiyuan, issued on 29th January:

http://wjw.taiyuan.gov.cn/doc/2020/01/29/954355.shtml

14.A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Shandong, issued on 30th January:

http://news.sdchina.com/show/4481747.html?from=timeline

15.A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Jinan, issued on 29th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657068180257421860&wfr=spider&for=pc

16. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Qingdao, issued on 28th January:

http://news.iqilu.com/other/20200129/4428031.shtml

17. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Weifang, issued on 29th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657068433318984740&wfr=spider&for=pc

18. A Proposal to All Foreign Friends in Zibo, issued on 28th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657057693777290803&wfr=spider&for=pc

19. A Proposal to All Foreign Friends in Rizhao, issued on 27th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657070130690913401&wfr=spider&for=pc

20. A Proposal to All Foreign Friends in Dezhou, issued on 28th January:

http://www.dezhoudaily.com/kuaibao/p/1490603.html

21. A Proposal to All Foreign Friends in Heze, issued on 29th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657070825385890955&wfr=spider&for=pc

22. Message from the Foreign Affairs Office of the Peoples Government of Henan Province to all Foreign Nationals in Henan, issued on 29th January:

https://www.henandaily.cn/content/2020/0129/210175.html

23. Message to Foreign Nationals in Guizhou, issued on 30th January:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/kTW8sO1K-Kl1qLDu1Vo8lg

24. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Liyang, issued on 29th January:

https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1657149204313081577&wfr=spider&for=pc

25. A Letter to All Expats in Dongguan, issued on 29th January:

https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_5683983

26. A Letter to Foreign Friends in Gansu, issued on 28th January:

http://szfwsb.lanzhou.gov.cn/art/2020/1/29/art_4636_847738.html

27. A Letter to All Expats in Huizhou, issued on 29th January:

http://e.hznews.com/hzrb/pc/content/202001/30/content_929760.html

28. A Letter to Foreign Friends in Beihai, issued on 29th January:

http://xxgk.beihai.gov.cn/bhswsqwhgaswbgs/gzdt_84974/202001/t20200129_2170636.html

29. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Maoming, issued on 29th January:

http://www.mm111.net/mmxw/p/386823.html

30. A Letter to Foreign Friends in Ningxia, issued on 28th January:

https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_5678379

31. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Meizhou, issued on 30th January:
http://www.meizhou.cn/2020/0130/611939.shtml

32. A Letter to Foreign Friends in Jilin, issued on January 28:

http://wb.jl.gov.cn/ttxw_85473/202001/t20200130_6655752.html

33. A Letter to All Foreign Friends in Shenyang, issued on January 28:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dvGl2KdHeHpacGjnkzf5Kg

34. A Letter to Foreign Experts in Shaanxi Province, issued on January 30:

http://www.stdaily.com/app/shanxi/2020-01/30/content_858790.shtml

35. A letter to Foreigners in Changchun:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/zmix7I5i66NQzgbmy4uaLg

36. A letter to Foreigners in Wuhan:

https://m.toutiaocdn.com/item/6786877453949207052/?app=news_article&timestamp=1580393667&req_id=2020013022142601001402610918C0B64E&group_id=6786877453949207052&tt_from=weixin&utm_source=weixin&utm_medium=toutiao_ios&utm_campaign=client_share&wxshare_count=1

Stay safe! There are foreigners and locals that are sick with the virus. Be strong, be careful, and be aware.

For more Wuhan Virus News:

App To Assist Avoiding Wuhan Virus & Finding Clinics
Wuhan Virus Live Data, now available in English
I survived Wuhan Virus, This is my Story - Interview!
The Source of Wuhan Virus Has been Confirmed Now!
How to Keep Yourself Safe from the Wuhan Virus!
8 Key Questions About New Coronavirus

How to Check if You've Traveled with Someone with Wuhan Virus!

Source: SCMP

Chinese internet company Qihoo 360 has partnered with a Chinese tech firm to introduce a platform that lets users check if they have recently traveled with someone who contracted the new coronavirus.

By entering the date of their journey, together with flight or train numbers, users can find out if they were traveling with someone who has been infected with the virus. The platform also advises those who have traveled with a person confirmed to have the virus to self-quarantine and seek medical attention if they observe symptoms such as a fever.

NoSugar Tech compiled and manually verified public data from sources such as Chinas state television broadcaster and state media such as Peoples Daily for input into the platform, which employs Qihoo 360s artificial intelligence (AI) and big data technology to ensure that the information is updated and reliable.

According to local media reports, more than 21 million people used the service within two days of its launch.

Under the partnership between Qihoo 360 and NoSugar Tech, users of 360 products can access the platform via 360s apps and services, including its browser and mobile security app.'

The roll-out of such a service comes amid the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, in which nearly 8,000 cases have been recorded with 170 deaths as of Thursday afternoon the vast majority of both occurring in China. The outbreak coincided with the Lunar New Year, exacerbating the spread of the virus as millions of Chinese traveled across the country and internationally for the holidays.

Separately, some Chinese tech companies are offering use of their AI technology at no cost. A Chinese company called AISpeech wrote in a WeChat post that its AI chatbots, which can make automated calls to people and record their responses, would be free of charge for governments, medical institutions and charities.

Large tech companies, such as Baidu and Alibaba, have made their cloud computing technology available to researchers for free in the hope that it will help accelerate research and development of cures and vaccines for the virus. Alibaba is the parent company of the South China Morning Post.

Baidu on Thursday said it was making its AI algorithm, which it claims can analyse the genome secondary structure of the new coronavirus within just 27 seconds, available for free to gene testing institutions, epidemic prevention centres and scientific research centres around the world.

The Platform to Check If You've Traveled with a Sick Person

Users can access the platform at this link:

http://2019ncov.nosugartech.com/?from=groupmessage&isappinstalled=0

SCAN The QR To access the platform

On the platform, users can choose the location, date, and transportation number.

For more Wuhan Virus News:

App To Assist Avoiding Wuhan Virus & Finding Clinics
Wuhan Virus Live Data, now available in English
I survived Wuhan Virus, This is my Story - Interview!
The Source of Wuhan Virus Has been Confirmed Now!
How to Keep Yourself Safe from the Wuhan Virus!
8 Key Questions About New Coronavirus

Russia to Close Border with China Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) first came to the attention of the World Health Organization on December 31, 2019, after a number of suspected pneumonia cases were reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province. One week later, the mystery illness was confirmed to be a new strain of coronavirus, the same family of diseases as severe accute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Wuhan, a city of over 10 million people, went into lockdown on January 23, in order to curb the spread of the virus. It was also announced that the Chinese New Year holiday will be extended in order to contain the spread of the respiratory disease.

The death toll from the coronavirus now stands at 170, with nearly 7,800 confirmed cases reported.

Scan the QR code below for our updated live coverage on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV):

Here are the latest coronavirus updates from around China over the past 24 hours:

UPDATE (January 30, 2020 10.18pm CST): Russia will close its border with China, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said on Thursday, according to state-run TASS news agency. Sixteen of the 25 crossings along the two countries border, which stretches over 4,000 kilometers, will be closed as of midnight on January 31 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, The Moscow Times reports. Russia is also suspending the issuing of electronic visas to Chinese nationals in light of the outbreak.

In Italy, a cruise ship has been placed on lockdown as two suspected cases of the coronavirus have prevented more than 6,000 people from disembarking. A 54-year-old woman from Macao has been put into isolation after she came down with a fever. Both the woman and her husband have been quarantined as doctors await test results.

UPDATE (January 30, 2020 7.30pm CST): Ikea will be temporarily closing its doors on the Chinese mainland as the coronavirus outbreak continues, according to a spokeswoman for Ikea China, as cited by CNN. The company operates 30 brick-and-mortar stores across China, including one store in Wuhan, where the outbreak started in December. There are 7,830 confirmed cases in the PRC as of Thursday night.

UPDATE (January 30, 2020 10.55am CST): According to media reports, the Canadian government is formulating a plan to extract its citizens from China amid the ongoing novel coronavirus outbreak. Canadas foreign affairs minister, Francois-Philippe Champagne, recently told reporters in Ottawa that the government has secured a plane to evacuate Canadians and is in the process of hammering out the logistics of the operation.

We have secured an aircraft that could bring those Canadians who wish to leave back to Canada, said Champagne, according to Global News.

Image via Pixabay

Global News has reported that 160 citizens of Canada have requested consular assistance in China; Champagne stated that he could not comment on whether any of the 160 Canadians have experienced symptoms of the virus.

Several other nations, including the United States and France, have already begun evacuating their citizens from Wuhan ground zero of the new coronavirus outbreak.

Also of note: Canada has upgraded its travel advisory for China, warning its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the country. The Canadian government is also urging its citizens to avoid all travel to Hubei province.

Scan the QR code below for our updated live coverage on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV):

For live coronavirus updates, click Read more () below.

China Plans to Phase Out Single-Use Plastics by 2025

This article originally appeared on our sister account, Urban Family Shanghai.

By Ryan Gandolfo

Folks in the PRC can expect to be weaned off of single-use plastics, as Beijing has announced a new plan to crack down on plastic straws, bags and delivery packages, among other plastic items, over the next five years.

On Sunday, Chinas National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and Ministry of Ecology and Environment issued the new nationwide policy, which calls on phasing out the production and use of many single-use plastics by 2025.

Some of the key short-term initiatives from the 17-point policy include banning plastic bags in all of Chinas major cities by the end of this year, as well as making single-use plastic cutlery in big cities unavailable. Smaller cities and rural areas will be allowed more time to adjust to the changes, while major cities are expected to set the example.

The new plans certainly pose a challenge for businesses, with catering, hospitality and parcel-delivery industries all expected to move on from single-use plastic items and plastic packaging.

In the notice, Beijing calls on shopping malls and supermarkets, among other businesses, to promote the use of eco-friendly bags, as well as using biodegradable packaging film for store-bought products. As for those waimai deliveries, companies will be expected to find substitutes for cutlery and packaging while still meeting the standards for functionality and food safety. By the halfway mark in this decade, cities and towns across the PRC need to reduce single-use plastic consumption in the catering industry by 30%.

According to a UN Environment report published in 2018, plastic production has outpaced just about every other material, and only 9% of the 9 billion metric tons of plastic made so far has been recycled. The report notes that China is the worlds largest generator of plastic packaging waste, although a ban on imported plastics started in 2018 and has put ownership on countries that historically counted on China as a plastic waste importer.

Save the turtles! Image via @/Weibo

In 1999, the Chinese government banned production and use of all single-use plastic tableware, however, it was never properly enforced and officially lifted 14 years later. More recently, a 2008 ban on plastic bags thinner than 25 microns and a tax on thicker bags dropped the distribution of plastic bags in supermarkets by 70% on average, as cited by the UN Environment report.

This past year, major Chinese cities have undertaken a concerted effort to enforce trash sorting, with regulations calling on residents to reduce the amount of untreatable waste by discarding their rubbish into categorized bins. With the new policy banning many single-use plastics, residents waste output will hopefully be reduced while making it easier to sort their trash.

READ MORE: Shenzhen Releases New Garbage Sorting Guidelines

[Cover image via Unsplash]

This article was originally published by our sister magazine Urban Family Shanghai. For more articles like this, visit the Urban Family website, or follow the Urban Family WeChat account (ID: urbanfamilyshanghai).

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Last Chance to Nominate in Our 10th Annual Sports Awards

By Ned Kelly

Shanghai sports friends, we are celebrating a decade of celebrating you!

The Camel and Thats Shanghai 10th Annual Sports Awards will take place on Friday, February 28, and we're accepting nominations from now until today (January 31).

Once a year, we gather to recognize those who have truly made their mark on the citys amateur sports scene: from the home-run hitters and KO punchers, to those who lift up their mates when all seems lost. Theyre our friends, our family and, occasionally, our blood-thirsty rivals.

There are 16 awards across six categories in the general selection, plus three Under 18s categories with 12 awards to be won, with big prizes from F45 and REVO by Saucepan up for grabs:

Adults
Coach of the Year
Team of the Year
Sports Personality of the Year
Best Newcomer
Best International Performance
Lifetime Achievement Award

Under 18s
Coach of the Year
Team of the Year
Player of the Year

Please note, nominations are open for amateurs only, rather than professionals.

Additionally, there will be an award for most charitable team. We welcome teams out to put on their competitive faces and try to raise money for the charity of their choice during the period leading up to the night. Most money raised, wins!

There will also be a raffle fundraiser on the night, with all money raised from that going to the Baobei Foundation.

Think you have a contender?

Submit nominations with a photo and brief description of 75 words or less with the tagline read 'Sports Awards Nomination' to [email protected] by January 31.

The event will take place at the The Camel on Friday, February 28. 1 Yueyang Lu, by Dongping Lu 1, .

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Job description

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JobsUS University Cooperation Manager| 15K-20K RMB/month

JobsOral English teacher| 15K - 20K RMB per month

JobsForeign English Teacher| 25K - 30K RMB per month

Job description

Requirements

Required Languages

JobsUS University Cooperation Manager| 15K-20K RMB/month

JobsOral English teacher| 15K - 20K RMB per month

JobsForeign English Teacher| 25K - 30K RMB per month

Wuhan Virus Live Data, now available in English

Wuhan Virus Live Data, now available in English

Wuhan Virus Live Data, now available in English

Think you have a contender?