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By CCTV reporter Zhang Nini

China's health authorities say preparations at the local level are underway to implement¹ China's revised family planning policy that will allow more couples to have a second child. Provincial² people's congresses must first approve the new measure. The easing of the policy is one of China's top ten public heath events in 2013.

For industrial China, more toddlers mean more business, both in short and long term.

The easing of China’s family planning policy, which for decades has restricted most families to having one child, was a major legislative³ highlight in 2013. National health authorities say before qualified⁴ couples can have a second child they will have to wait until provincial authorities pass legislation at their local people’s congresses which will consider local population needs and social economic development.

The easing of the policy is expected to benefit 15 million to 20 million couples.

"One important task of the commission is to strengthen maternal⁵ and child care services and policies. It’s a priority for 2014.” Mao Qunan, spokesman for Nat’l Health And Family Planning Comm., said.

In addition to boosting the birth rate, national health authorities in 2013 also attempted to lower the mortality rate by banning smoking.

Tobacco consumption is one of the greatest health threats in China, resulting in the deaths of over one million people every year.

A circular issued at the end of the year banned officials from lighting⁶ up in public.

Health authorities said it is also actively⁷ promoting legislation that will provide for a more effective ban on smoking in public places.

"We have set up two service hotlines for this purpose. Meanwhile we will continue to speed up legislation at various levels to ban lighting up in public." Yao Hongwen,spokesman for Nat’l Health And Family Planning Comm., said.

In 2013, China celebrated⁸ fifty years of sending medical rescue teams overseas, mostly to African countries. China’s efforts in institutional reform, addressing AIDS, doctor-patient relations and treatment of avian flu viruses are also on the commission’s top ten event of the year.