(LIU CHAN)

Child Wellbeing

Africa

Tanzania, Mozambique and Niger spend the most on child wellbeing in Africa – with Sudan, Angola and Burundi spending the least. The African Report on Child Wellbeing 2011 released the information in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa while examining African government spending on child health, education, development and social protection between 2006 and 2008. Despite lower economic status than some of their neighbors, countries such as Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda and Tanzania scored highly in the index, while a number of African governments with relatively high incomes, including Angola, Mauritania and Sudan, scored low.

Affordable healthcare

China

The Chinese Government will lessen the financial burden on citizens requiring medical treatment to ensure that by the end of 2015 they pay no more than 30 percent of the total cost of medical bills, according to Vice Minister of Health Zhang Mao. The government has invested an "unprecedented" 500 billion yuan ($75.8 billion) in healthcare since the new round of medical reforms were launched in April 2009. The proportion of government funding in the nation's health budget increased from 17 percent in 2006 to 27 percent in 2009. Citizens' medical bills have dropped from 52 percent to 38 percent in the same period.

Escorting WFP ships

China

China may expand its anti-piracy mission in Somali waters by assisting the EU fleet in escorting World Food Program (WFP) ships en route to the Horn of Africa.

China already has a naval presence in the region. If the mission is given the green light, the Chinese warships will be deployed in the Somali Basin to help the EU naval force in its anti-piracy efforts. A process is under way of establishing a China escort plan for the WFP.

Big Increase

China

China's outbound direct investment (ODI) in non-financial sectors in 122 countries and regions reached $47.56 billion in the first 11 months of this year, said the Ministry of Commerce. The investment mainly flew to Hong Kong, Australia, Sweden, the United States, Canada, Russia and Brazil. The majority of the investment went into mining, manufacturing, transportation and the services sector.