Chongqing - Following a vote on March 28 by the Standing Committee of the Sixth Chongqing Municipal People's Congress in its seventh session, new regulations were approved, spanning fire safety and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Chongqing's new fire safety regulation, effective July 1, 2024, aims to tackle the city's pressing fire prevention challenges and address public safety concerns.

Li Yuan, an official of the Chongqing Municipal People's Congress, highlighted the regulation's role in boosting urban safety, especially in high-rise buildings, a critical area for fire prevention efforts.

Li highlighted that a devastating fire in Yubei District on New Year's Day, 2020, served as a watershed moment, prompting a thorough initiative for enhancements.

In the past four years, this initiative has corrected fire safety issues in 11,000 high-rise buildings, cleared 433,000 instances of fire exit blockages, and enhanced fire safety in 1.21 million households through measures such as installing flame-retardant barriers and addressing electrical and gas hazards.

Moreover, the regulation mandates the fire-resistant sealing of building conduits, the clear distinction of fire truck pathways, and the maintenance of unobstructed emergency exits to significantly improve safety during fire emergencies.

The revised regulation to boost SME growth will come into effect on July 1, 2024, to foster the high-quality growth of SMEs in Chongqing. It offers targeted measures for financial support, entrepreneurial encouragement, innovation, market expansion, service provision, and rights protection.

Chongqing is home to approximately 1.162 million SMEs, comprising 95% of its businesses and playing a crucial role in the economy. They contribute over 50% of tax revenue, generate more than 60% of GDP, account for over 70% of invention patents, and provide more than 80% of urban employment.

According to the regulation, government bodies are directed to provide enhanced entrepreneurial guidance to SME owners, including consultancy, coaching, and training services.

Moreover, the regulation ensures a unified market access and supervision framework for Chongqing, guaranteeing that SMEs are treated equally regarding market entry, access to preferential policies, and administrative supervision.