The Red Cross Society of China, the country's biggest humanitarian organization, is launching a new initiative to improve the public's skills in first aid and emergency response.

Zhao Baige, executive vice-president of the society, unveiled the plan on Friday to mark World First Aid Day, and said the program is aiming to raise the percentage of people in China with training in the skills from the current 1 percent to 1.5 percent.

"Being able to tend to yourself or others during emergencies helps save lives and reduce injuries, and we consider it our responsibility to instruct the public in the skills they need," she said.