Tighter rules for couriers in Beijing before two sessions

The State Post Bureau (SPB) of China issued a notice on Monday asking that security precautions taken by all courier channels be heightened, with all express mail entering Beijing to be checked twice before delivery.

All enterprises are urged to implement comprehensive controls by strengthening the inspection, real-name acceptance, and mailing and airport security checks starting from Thursday to the day after the closing of the meetings, according to the SPB. Express mail without security identification will be returned.

SPB also urges delivery service providers to make every effort to prevent individuals from using delivery channels to transport dangerous and prohibited goods such as guns and explosives, pornography, and dangerous chemicals into Beijing. Logistics firms will work with the public security and national security authorities to manage the process.

The two sessions are deemed as China's most significant political event, consisting of the plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, and the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body.

This year's meetings carry even greater significance as 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the first year of the 14th Five-Year Plan 2021-25.

To ensure the two sessions are held in a secure environment, corresponding epidemic prevention work is also in place to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

The market supervision and regulatory authorities have held meetings with several domestic food delivery platforms including Meituan Dianping and Ele.com, requesting they guarantee food safety.

Meanwhile, all drivers who will be serving the deputies attending the Two Sessions have been vaccinated, and sterilisation of vehicles will be conducted in accordance with the epidemic prevention work.

Unlike the two sessions last year, the risk of infection and transmission have reached the lowest point domestically, as China cleared all high-risk areas on Thursday as the Spring Festival holidays came to an end.

"The country has done a good job in epidemic prevention, and principally, if not for the prevention of the risk of imported cases, there should be no need to wear masks with temperature checks and other measures in place," Yang Zhanqiu, deputy director of the pathogen biology department at Wuhan University, told the Global Times.

However, the expert said that it is understandable to retain the control measures as the global outbreak persists, to make sure that the hard-earned achievements of epidemic prevention do not go to waste.