Briefly

Payment woes of SMEs to be eased

The new regulation on ensuring timely payments to small and medium-sized enterprises, which will come into effect in September, will safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of SMEs, reduce their operational costs and optimize the business environment, the nation's top industry regulator said on Friday. Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Wang Jiangping said that SMEs play a crucial role in expanding employment and improving people's livelihood. The introduction of the regulation will ensure that government departments, public institutions and large enterprises make payments to the SMEs on time and boost the liquidity conditions for SMEs.

NEV usage promoted in more rural areas

More promotional activities will be held for new energy vehicles in rural areas this year, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said. Local governments will release policies for NEVs and participating enterprises will unveil preferential measures, said a notice posted on the website of the ministry. To be carried out by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the activities are aimed at promoting the use of NEVs in rural areas and boosting the rural vitalization strategy.

Interprovincial rail makes progress

East China is fast expanding its high-speed railway network to boost regional transport, according to railway builder China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group. A 308-kilometer-long railway, linking the Huangshan scenic spot in Anhui province and Nanchang, the provincial capital of Jiangxi, has begun its work on the first precast box girder since its official start in December 2018. The railway, part of the country's key projects, will join the Hangzhou-Nanchang high-speed railway upon completion, perfecting transport links in Anhui, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces. There are three high-speed railways, either completed or under construction, to connect the provinces of Anhui and Jiangxi.

China Daily - Xinhua