China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, has been coordinating relevant funds to actively support the construction of urban renewal projects across the country, it said at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing on Tuesday.
Zhao Chengfeng, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, said that investment from the central government budget, additional treasury bonds, ultra-long special treasury bonds, and local government special-purpose bonds are the four main channels for supporting the construction of urban renewal projects.
"In terms of investment from the central government budget, over 470 billion yuan (around 65 billion U.S. dollars) have been arranged during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025) to support the upgrading of old underground pipeline networks in urban areas - including those for gas supply and water drainage - and the renovation of old urban residential compounds. From the additional treasury bonds issued in 2023, 140 billion yuan (around 19 billion U.S. dollars) have been allocated to support the construction of urban drainage and flood control facilities. Since last year, over 290 billion yuan (around 40 billion U.S. dollars) from ultra-long special treasury bonds have been arranged for urban renewal projects. Local government special-purpose bonds have also been used to actively assist eligible urban areas in improving infrastructure and renovating old urban residential compounds," said Zhao.
China's top economic planner on supporting urban renewal projects
Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda have surpassed 600 as response efforts face operational constraints, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Tuesday.
In its latest outbreak update, the African Union's specialized continental public health agency said confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC and Uganda have reached 608, with the death toll climbing to 102 as of Monday.
Uganda has reported no new confirmed cases in the last 24 hours. In the DRC, 45 new confirmed cases were reported during the past 24 hours, bringing the total there to 589, according to the Africa CDC.
The Africa CDC warned that ongoing response efforts are "facing significant operational constraints," noting that health facilities in several affected areas are in poor condition and often lack potable water, incinerators, personal protective equipment, and decontamination supplies.
Insecurity, a shortage of ambulances, growing staffing pressures with some health workers unpaid or without incentives, and poor roads are further slowing access and response operations, it said, while highlighting the existing lack of community trust as "a critical challenge" jeopardizing ongoing response efforts.
The agency also expressed concern over the negative impacts of travel restrictions imposed on affected and at-risk African countries despite guidance from the World Health Organization and the Africa CDC.
The Africa CDC outlined several "immediate priorities," including strengthening community engagement and risk communication, fast-tracking multidisciplinary rapid response teams to high-risk areas, addressing gaps in infection prevention and safe burial, as well as enhancing surveillance and contact follow-up.
Ebola cases in DR Congo, Uganda surpass 600 amid operational constraints: Africa CDC
