Expanding new growth drivers boost industrial upgrading: official

China's industrial sector continued to see steady optimization and upgrading in April, with new growth drivers rapidly expanding as equipment manufacturing and high-tech industries gathered stronger momentum, according to official data released on Monday.

At a press conference held in Beijing on Monday, Fu Linghui, spokesman for the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), said that the value-added output of equipment manufacturing enterprises above the designated size rose at a faster pace in April, with the year-on-year growth rate accelerating by 0.1 percentage points from the previous month.

Enterprises above the designated size refer to large enterprises each with an annual main business turnover of at least 20 million yuan (about 2.94 million U.S. dollars).

The sector contributed more than 74 percent to the overall industrial growth of enterprises above the designated size, according to the spokesman.

From an industry perspective, competitiveness in the electronics and automobile sectors continued to improve, Fu said, noting that the two industries have become key strengths within the equipment manufacturing sector.

China's industrial development has continued to move toward the mid-to-high end this year, with high-tech manufacturing showing strong growth.

In April, the value-added output of high-tech manufacturing enterprises above the designated size posted a year-on-year growth rate 1.1 percentage points higher than that of the previous month, significantly outpacing the overall industrial growth rate, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the country's industrial digital and intelligent transformation advanced steadily, with the production of digital and smart products registering relatively rapid growth, Fu said.

Green transformation also advanced steadily, with new energy-related industries growing at a faster pace, he said.

"New growth drivers are not only embodied in the development of emerging industries and future industries, but also show strong vitality in the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. In April, the value-added output of bio-based materials manufacturing rose 19.5 percent year on year, contributing 65.6 percent to the growth of chemical fiber industry. Some traditional industries also showed improving growth momentum through renovation and upgrading," said Fu.

Expanding new growth drivers boost industrial upgrading: official

Shortages of supplies and personnel hampering a quick response to an ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa are the biggest public concern, according to a recent online survey conducted by the China Global Television Network (CGTN).

The survey was carried out to assess public worries surrounding the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighbor Uganda.

According to the survey findings, 31 percent of respondents identified the lack of supplies and personnel delaying a quick response to Ebola control as their primary worry, ranking it highest among the options presented in the poll.

Meanwhile, anxiety regarding the epidemic worsening and the risk of a broader global crisis were tied at 28 percent each. Furthermore, 13 percent of those surveyed expressed their greatest fear that the virus could become more deadly.

The Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

The DRC had reported a total of 344 confirmed cases of Ebola, including 60 deaths, and Uganda a total of 15 confirmed cases, including one death, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday.

WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC a public health emergency of international concern on May 17. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

The DRC has faced repeated Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified near the Ebola River in 1976. The latest Ebola outbreak is the 17th in the DRC since 1976.

Supply, personnel shortages top public concerns over Ebola response: CGTN poll