China to promote online medical care

Chinese health authorities have pledged to advance the development of online diagnosis and treatment as well as internet-based hospitals. Hospitals are required to introduce online diagnosis and treatment services for revisiting patients with common and chronic diseases and cooperate with third parties to provide drug delivery services, a circular issued by the National Health Commission's general affairs office said. The online services are expected to contribute to epidemic control and prevention, it said.

AG600 to make first flight from sea surface

China's independently developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft will conduct its first flight from the sea surface in the second half this year, its developer said on Monday. The aircraft will make its maiden flight from the sea surface in Qingdao, Shandong province, Stateowned plane maker Aviation Industry Corporation of China said. The flight will be a major step forward in the AG600 large amphibious aircraft project, AVIC said.

New biodiversity database released

China has released a database of its national annual species checklist to facilitate biodiversity research and conservation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said on Monday. The database, known as the Catalogue of Life China 2020 Annual Checklist, was jointly compiled by researchers from the academy's institutes of zoology, botany and microbiology, as well as other institutions. It includes 54,359 animal species, 37,793 plant species and 12,506 fungi species.

Xinhua