Policy Digest

Telecommunications industry expanding

China's telecommunications sector expanded steadily in the first two months of this year as a result of the creation of new businesses and infrastructure, official data showed.

The combined business revenues of companies in the sector reached 280.3 billion yuan ($40.8 billion) during the period, up 7.9 percent year-on-year, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Businesses focused on associated sectors such as internet data centers, cloud computing and the internet of things, saw revenues rise 25.7 percent year-on-year, leading to a 5 percentage point increase in telecom revenues.

The data also revealed the steady progress China has made in advancing new infrastructure. It had 2.38 million 5G base stations by the end of February, 72,100 more than at the end of last year.

Agencies to help rural disabled find jobs

Authorities will increase efforts to help disabled people in rural areas gain access to employment, according to a notice published on March 21.

The notice, issued by the China Disabled Persons' Federation and seven other government agencies, said the move was part of efforts to achieve the previously set goal of creating 1 million new jobs for people with disabilities in rural and urban areas between 2022 and 2024.

According to the notice, specific measures include helping disabled rural landowners to earn income through productive labor and providing free technical e-commerce training to households with disabled members.

Guideline defines sexual harassment

For the first time, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and five other central government departments have issued a guideline that defines and explains sexual harassment in the workplace to protect women's rights and interests.

The guideline, which was issued on March 8 — International Women's Day — clearly states what sexual harassment is, and instructs employees and labor unions on how to handle cases. It should be used as a reference when employers establish rules regarding harassment.

According to the guideline, employers should keep information provided by complainants and findings related to investigations confidential. They should also ensure privacy is protected and refrain from causing secondary injury to victims of harassment through measures such as separating the victim and the accused in the workplace.

The six ministries also issued another guideline on March 8 that serves as a reference for protecting female employees' rights in the workplace, which pertains to matters such as employment status, wages, welfare and fertility.

The references are not legally binding but offer interpretations to the public to promote wider awareness of the law and regulations.