A number of ministry-level departments, including those responsible for customs, human resources and social security, and poverty alleviation, have responded recently to issues of public concern.

Boost for China-Europe rail freight services

The General Administration of Customs issued 10 measures on Feb 24 to support development of China-Europe Railway Express freight train services and promote foreign trade.

The measures will allow companies to go through customs clearance procedures either at the port of entry or exit, or at the places where they are located, the administration said.

Enterprises can also apply to customs to merge their manifests to reduce the number and cost of declarations.

The administration will also strengthen cooperation between customs and the railway network, support the construction of China-Europe Railway Express hubs and use trains to expand imports.

The China-Europe rail network connects 62 Chinese cities, including Chengdu, Zhengzhou and Urumqi, with 51 European cities, such as Duisburg, Lodz and Antwerp, in 15 countries.

Online vocational skills training encouraged

China will help enterprises give online vocational skills training to their employees during the novel coronavirus epidemic outbreak, a notice published on Wednesday said.

The notice, jointly issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance, said more than 50 high-quality online vocational training platforms nationwide will be selected to provide digital training resources for more than 100 occupations and more than 1 million people this year.

Companies that provide online training for their employees before resuming operation will be able to receive government subsidies, and workers who obtain certificates after completing online training will be eligible for allowances.

To encourage more workers to take up online training, people who have difficulties making a living or finding a job will be granted subsistence allowances while they are training, it said.

Poverty alleviation officials back on the job

Poverty alleviation officials stationed in villages in provincial-level regions other than Hubei have been told to return to work to help fulfill China's goal of eliminating absolute poverty this year, a statement published on Wednesday said.

It said the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development had issued a notice requiring efforts to ensure poverty alleviation tasks can be completed on schedule amid the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic.

Officials unable to work due to epidemic control measures should apply for leave, it said, and personnel turnover, if necessary, should be conducted in a timely manner.

The notice also said epidemic control should be the priority of officials in regions severely hit by the virus and poverty alleviation measures should be implemented in a timely manner to ensure everyday life is not affected.

In regions with mild epidemic risks, officials should organize villagers to put in place all policies and measures on poverty alleviation while ensuring the continuation of epidemic control work, it said.

Resumption of work in key industries a priority

China will give priority to industries that are strong drivers of the economy, such as vehicle manufacturing and electronics, in the resumption of work after suspensions due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said.

Support will also be provided to emerging industries with strategic importance such as 5G and the industrial internet, the ministry said in a guideline issued on Feb 24 on promoting the orderly resumption of work in industrial and telecommunications enterprises.

Efforts will also be made to encourage regions with vehicle purchasing restrictions to increase vehicle quotas appropriately to boost purchases of cars and related products, the guideline said.

The ministry also pledged full efforts to guarantee the production and supply of urgently needed equipment such as respirator machines and electrocardiograph monitors.