From our archives

Feb 29, 1984

Counties come jurisdiction of cities

One-fourth of China's more than 2,000 counties are now being administered from nearby cities, as a new administrative system promoting integration of towns and countryside spreads nationwide.

A total of 121 of 286 cities now exercise jurisdiction over 541 nearby counties previously under prefectural governments. This change is an important part of nationwide administrative restructuring of the system completed at the end of 1983. In more developed areas, prefectural governments have been merged with those of medium-sized cities, with the latter taking over jurisdiction over the surrounding counties and local enterprises previously under the supervision of provincial governments.

Insurance advances services

The People's Insurance Company of China (PICC) intends to improve its efficiency, strengthen its teamwork and expand services to suit overseas markets.

At the end of last year, the company's income from domestic insurance premiums was more than 1 billion yuan ($ 500 million), up 36 percent from 1982. Last year's foreign business exceeded $160 million, 10 percent more than the previous year. This year, PICC is aiming at a more than 15 percent increase in overall business.

New insurance services will be offered to aid the country's growing economic and technical cooperation with other nations. The new services will cover such fields as construction, machinery installation, provision of labor, shipbuilding, and petroleum development.

(China Daily 03/04/2009 page9)