Over 15 million people participate in blood donation every year in China under the country's voluntary blood donation system, official data showed.
To mark the 23rd World Blood Donor Day, which fell on Sunday this year, China's National Health Commission (NHC), together with eight other government departments, held a themed event and issued a public appeal for voluntary blood donation.
The appeal called on members of the Communist Party of China (CPC), members of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC), officials of Party and government organs, employees of state-owned enterprises, teachers and students at universities, as well as people from all walks of life to actively participate in blood donation when their health conditions permit.
Currently, all blood needed for clinical treatment in China comes entirely from voluntary unpaid donations by healthy citizens. The country ranks among the world's leaders in total blood donation volume, number of blood donors, and blood safety levels.
In an effort to promote the steady development of voluntary blood donation, both the central and local governments have introduced a series of incentive measures. More than 3 million voluntary blood donors have been honored nationwide.
Many regions have also explored incentive measures tailored to local conditions. In several provinces, recipients of the honor are entitled to preferential policies that include free public transportation, free admission to government-funded parks and exemption from outpatient registration fees at public hospitals, subject to local regulations.
Blood donors are also given priority access to blood transfusions under equal non-emergency conditions.
Over 15 million people participate in blood donation annually in China
Top political advisor Wang Huning has called for high-quality construction of the demonstration zone for integrated development across the Taiwan Strait and urged greater progress in advancing such integration during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030).
Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made the remarks on Saturday in Xiamen, a city in east China's Fujian Province, at a meeting on advancing the demonstration zone's development.
He said the 15th Five-Year Plan period will bring broad opportunities and prospects for deepening cross-Strait integrated development and for promoting the development of the demonstration zone.
Wang called for supporting Fujian in exploring new mechanisms, pathways and models for cross-Strait integrated development, and for promoting higher-quality, deeper and broader integration in cross-Strait integrated development.
He stressed the need to implement the requirements of the 15th Five-Year Plan in developing the demonstration zone and to ensure high-quality development throughout the process.
Focusing on key tasks in building the demonstration zone, efforts should be made to boost policy and institutional innovation, and to let the zone take the lead in piloting new measures and generating replicable experience, Wang said.
He also called for improving policies and measures to facilitate cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, enhancing the business environment, strengthening industrial cooperation, and expanding the benefits and sense of gain for Taiwan compatriots and Taiwan-funded enterprises.
Wang urged closer people-to-people and cultural exchanges across the Strait, saying that more efforts should be made to strengthen Taiwan compatriots' sense of identification with the Chinese nation, Chinese culture and the motherland.
He also called for expanding channels for Taiwan youth to pursue development on the mainland.
On Sunday morning, Wang also conducted an inspection tour in Xiamen, reviewing work on cross-Strait integrated development, as well as the provision of more convenient and intelligent services for Taiwan compatriots, and efforts to promote exchanges and cooperation among young people from both sides of the Strait.
Top political advisor urges solid progress in cross-Strait integrated development
Top political advisor urges solid progress in cross-Strait integrated development
