China to optimise epidemic controls next year
The nation should optimise epidemic prevention and control measures next year as it seeks to better coordinate policies with economic and social development, state media reported on Wednesday, after a meeting of the Communist Party's Politburo. China will focus on stabilising growth, employment and prices while preventing and defusing major systemic risks, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday, after the 24-member political bureau chaired by President Xi Jinping met on Tuesday to discuss the economic tasks for next year.  At the meeting, the Politburo also made arrangements for improving party conduct and moral integrity, and combatting corruption. Health officials, meanwhile, reported 25,115 new local Covid cases, of which 4,351 were symptomatic and 20,764 were asymptomatic, down from a total of 27,847 a day earlier. There were no deaths, unchanged from the previous day, keeping fatalities at 5,235. (Xinhua/Reuters)