Briefly

Type certificate given for electric aircraft

Home-grown four-seat electric aircraft RX4E has become the first of its kind to receive a type certificate, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said on Thursday. The RX4E is distinguished as the first purely electric aircraft designed in accordance with CCAR-23, China's civil aviation regulations governing airworthiness for normal category aircraft, which includes small aircraft. The aircraft features a wingspan of 13.5 meters and a length of 8.4 meters, with a maximum takeoff weight of 1.2 metric tons. It is powered by a lithium battery with a total capacity of 70 kilowatt-hours and has an electric propulsion system capable of reaching a maximum output of 140 kW. The RX4E can achieve a maximum flight time of 1.5 hours, boasting advantages such as zero emissions, low noise, reduced operational costs, and high safety and reliability.

Record-breaking air quality in capital

Beijing recorded 290 days of good air quality last year, the highest since monitoring began, the municipal ecology and environment bureau said Thursday. The number of days with good air quality in the national capital accounted for 79.2 percent in 2024, 19 days more than the previous year and a significant increase of 114 days compared to 2013. Beijing's average concentration of PM2.5 reached 30.5 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, meeting the national standards for four consecutive years. PM2.5 readings, a key indicator of air pollution, are a gauge monitoring airborne particles of 2.5 microns or below in diameter.

Nation to roll out drug traceability code

China's National Healthcare Security Administration announced on Thursday that it will roll out stricter regulation of medical insurance funds through a nationwide implementation of drug traceability codes this year. The initiative aims to combat fraudulent activities such as the resale and substitution of insured medications, as well as the misuse of medical insurance cards and counterfeit prescriptions, the NHSA said in a statement. The drug traceability code, described as a "unique electronic ID" for each medication, will be leveraged to build large-scale data models to enhance regulatory oversight. The administration will use this data to identify and crack down on violations, strengthening enforcement actions against illegal activities, the statement said.

Emergency response to quake in Ningxia

Chinese authorities have activated a level-four disaster-relief emergency response after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Yongning county in Yinchuan, capital of the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, on Thursday. A work team has been dispatched to aid local relief operations in the affected areas, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management. No casualties have been reported.

Xinhua