PLA sends vessels to conduct training

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command dispatched vessel formation 133 to transit the Yokoate Waterway and conduct training in the Western Pacific in order to test the far-seas operational capabilities of its forces, said Senior Colonel Xu Chenghua, a spokesperson for the command, in a statement on Sunday. This is routine training organized in accordance with the annual plan, complies with international law and practice, and does not target any specific country or entity, the statement said. The Eastern Theater Command also conducted joint readiness patrols in the relevant waters and airspace of the East China Sea on Saturday.

Nation sees drop in common cancers

China has seen notable declines in the incidence and mortality rates of several common cancers, with the overall five-year survival rate for cancer patients steadily rising, according to data released by the National Cancer Center. The incidence and mortality rate of esophageal cancer in China fell by around 4.5 percent annually, according to the figures announced on Friday during a week-long national campaign to promote public awareness of cancer prevention and control, which runs from April 15 to 21 this year. The death rates for lung cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer dropped by an average of about 2 percent annually, the latest data also showed.

Xinhua