IN BRIEF

Safety

Toxic capsules to be cracked

Pharmacy supervision agencies nationwide must strictly monitor confiscated capsules made from toxic industrial gelatin to prevent them from flowing back into the market, the top drug regulator has said.

Drug control authorities should keep a tight rein on non-compliant capsules and ensure they are destroyed, the State Food and Drug Administration said on its website on April 23.

Nine companies have been accused of manufacturing drug capsules with industrial gelatin, which contains a greater amount of chromium than edible gelatin and may result in chronic diseases if ingested in excessive amounts.

Local drug authorities should take strict measures to stop pharmacy companies from randomly discarding the tainted capsules, the administration said.

Chongqing reassures foreigners

Chongqing municipal police have vowed better protection of foreigners in the megacity for business, study or tourism, following the scandal involving the death of the British citizen Neil Heywood.

The Heywood case is highly unusual, an official with the municipal public security bureau said, and very few foreigners have been the victims of crimes or other offenses in Chongqing in the past two years.

Investigators have uncovered evidence indicating that Heywood's death was homicide. Bogu Kailai, the wife of Bo Xilai, the former Communist Party chief of Chongqing, and Zhang Xiaojun, an orderly at Bo's home, are suspects in the case.

Employment

Work visa proposals considered

A new visa category has been proposed, in a draft law by the top legislature, to streamline hiring procedures for international talent and to centralize records of foreigners.

The second draft on regulating arrivals and departures from China, proposed to lawmakers on April 24, envisages a new specific visa for international expertise, in addition to the existing tourist, student and business visas.

The move is part of initiatives to attract more talented individuals from overseas, experts said.

Authorities have tried to attract more expatriate workers in a wide field of professions. Foreign employees numbered about 600,000, according to the 2010 national census.

Society

Charities to come under scrutiny

The country's top watchdog for charity organizations plans to keep a closer eye on foundations, after a series of charity scandals in the past year that greatly eroded public trust.

On April 24 the Ministry of Civil Affairs issued draft regulations on its website setting out rules for foundations on fundraising, information disclosure and their cooperation with commercial organizations.

The ministry is soliciting public opinion on the draft regulations until May 3. The regulations, once enacted, will mainly apply to domestic foundations and international foundations' offices on the Chinese mainland.

China Daily