Key industries told to resume output of goods vital to fighting epidemic

China will roll out a range of measures to ensure the supply of key medical goods as well as daily necessities, and increase production of medical essentials amid the ongoing epidemic prevention and control effort, the State Council's executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang decided on Wednesday.

"We must make all-out efforts across the nation to meet the needs for materials in epidemic prevention and control as well as medical professionals in Hubei province, especially its capital city Wuhan. Key industries should lose no time in resuming production and operate at full capacity to ensure the normal operation of industrial chains," Li said.

"Transportation of these materials must be well coordinated. The initiative of governments at the subnational level should be brought into full play. The central government should provide fiscal and financial support."

The meeting required redoubled efforts to ensure supplies vital for epidemic control as well as daily necessities. While enterprises in key industries will be urged to promptly resume production, State-owned enterprises in related areas shall promptly switch production to better serve the need of outbreak response and expand such production capacity.

Special support will be extended to companies that shift to manufacturing urgently needed medical supplies. The excess of medical supplies thus produced will be procured by the government as reserves. Deferral of social insurance contributions and other possible measures will be encouraged to help businesses keep payrolls stable.

"The needs across the country for essential goods and medical resources must be met. Subnational governments should fulfill their due responsibilities. Stronger guidance should be provided to better coordinate the work on all fronts,"Li stressed.

Strong efforts should be made to ensure the production and provision of major agricultural products, including eggs, meat and vegetables.

"We must make the key macro policy support well-targeted and extend it, as quickly as possible, to enterprises producing medical supplies and daily necessities and companies key to economic development and people's livelihoods,"Li said.

"Panic and overreaction should be averted, while science-based and sensible prevention and protection should be encouraged," he said.

Greater fiscal and financial support will be extended to companies producing epidemic control materials.

Financial support will be extended to businesses deeply affected by the outbreak, especially micro and small firms.