The official website of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) on December 2 published a circular to encourage foreign investment in China's elderly care services.

Foreign investors can set up senior care institutes for profit independently or in cooperation with Chinese enterprises, said the circular, jointly issued by the MCA and the Ministry of Commerce.

Before setting up such centers, foreign investors should submit an application to provincial-level organs in charge of commercial affairs, it said.

Foreign investors are also welcome to take part in the reform of state-run care organizations, and to develop high-quality chains of institutes, it added.

Foreign investors will enjoy the same favorable tax policies and administration fee deduction policies as domestic investors, the circular said.

By the end of 2013, the population at or above 60 years of age had hit 202 million in China, accounting for around 15 percent of the total population. The figure is expected to exceed 300 million by 2025.

Smoking Ban

Beijing adopted anti-smoking legislation to ban smoking in all indoor public places, workplaces and public transport vehicles on November 28.

The draft regulation was passed by vote at a meeting of the Standing Committee of Beijing Municipal People's Congress. It is scheduled to become effective on June 1 next year.

According to the bill, smoking is also prohibited on the grounds of kindergartens, schools, child welfare institutions, women and children's hospitals, fitness and sports venues, and cultural relic protection sites that are open to the public.

Tobacco advertisements are not allowed to appear outdoors, in public places and transport, nor in any form of media including radio, TV, films, newspapers, books, and Internet. All forms of tobacco promotions and title sponsorship are banned.

According to the regulation, legal representatives and people in charge of government agencies, public institutions and social organizations will be given the authority to implement the smoking ban in their workplaces.

As the world's largest tobacco maker and consumer, China has more than 350 million smokers and another 740 million people exposed to second-hand smoke each year. The population of smokers in Beijing alone exceeds 400,000.

Homegrown GPS

A Chinese company has rolled out a chip that can help smartphones access to the country's homegrown answer to GPS—the Beidou System.

The 40-nanometer chip, developed by Shanghai Beiga Satellite Technology Co., was revealed at an exhibition event in Shanghai that promotes civilian use of military technologies.

Wang Yongping, General Manager of Beiga, said they are currently doing tests with smartphones, and they expect to begin mass production of devices with the chip in them next year, according to a report by China News Service.

The chip is a sign that China's independently developed Beidou System will be applied to consumer electronics field. Previously, chips using the Beidou System were too large and consumed too much power for commercial applications.

According to the company, the chip can also be used on tablet computers and wearable devices.