IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Noncore functions shifted to suburbs

Beijing planners will continue to unclutter the capital by shutting down or relocating businesses that do not serve a core function, according to the city's Government Work Report for 2017.

Expert: Integrate medical resources

Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province have been urged to better integrate their medical resources to improve the quality of health services for all residents in the region.

Lack of kindergarten places a concern

Beijing should attract social capital into early education and make full use of existing resources to solve the shortage of kindergarten places, which is likely to be exacerbated by China's universal two-child policy, according to political advisers.

Capital mulls free buses during red alerts

Beijing could start running free bus services during red alerts for smog to help commuters affected by restrictions on private cars, according to the city transport authority.

Universities may relocate to combat issue of overcrowding

Moving some colleges out of central Beijing, either to the suburbs or other cities, is necessary to ease overcrowding, according to political advisers, but any new locations will first need to meet the demands of employees.

Games well on track for 2022

Like a skillful slalom by an Olympic skier, Beijing has made good progress preparing to host the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, officials said.

Leaders walk in shoes of refugees

Standing in a dark room, I was taken aback by the sound of guns as shouting soldiers burst in, hurtling us this way and that. In the noisy, humid air rank with smoke, I could make no sense of my surroundings.

TCM gets healthy Silk Road boost

China will issue a development plan for traditional Chinese medicine as part of the overall Belt and Road Initiative, according to a senior TCM official.

Acupuncture helps penetrate barriers

Acupuncture, a component of traditional Chinese medicine, can serve as an effective introduction to TCM therapies in other countries, officials said.

Global And Virtual Realities At Davos

AFTER GIVING THE KEYNOTE SPEECH AT THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM IN DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, on Tuesday, President Xi Jinping visited the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in the city of Lausanne on Wednesday. During his visit, Xi highlighted the importance of sports in changing the world. Meanwhile, his comments on Tuesday about global economic developments were well-received both by forum attendees and around the world. This year, the forum, a gathering of leaders from the worlds of politics and business, featured technological developments, such as virtual reality headsets.

Xi says China, Europe must ensure free trade

With populist sentiment growing in Europe, President Xi Jinping called for joint opposition to protectionism in a meeting with King Philippe of Belgium on Tuesday.