China's reserve of daily necessities is meeting demand and medical supplies are holding out as the country fights severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), said a senior commercial official in Beijing Thursday.
Zhang Zhigang, Vice-Minister of Commerce, said during an inspection of the commodities supply in the capital, Beijing, that the ministry had adopted measures to stabilize the market.
The ministry had set up an office headed by Minister Lu Fuyuan to supervise the preparation and allocation of the commodities and medical supplies such as masks and disinfectants.
A nationwide information system had been set up to gather data on the purchase, sale, stocks and prices of these commodities, Zhang said, adding that the ministry had established a 24-hour hotline to ensure the timely distribution of supplies.
The ministry had required commercial management departments allover the country to make plans for possible disturbances in the market, and illegal activities which disrupt the market would be severely punished according to law, said Zhang.
(Xinhua News Agency April 24, 2003)
