(Yicai Global) July 16 -- China will step up its efforts to reduce smoking, prevent cancer, and promote exercise among its population in order to make Chinese people healthier, starting from ages as young as kids in primary and secondary schools.

The State Council yesterday issued three healthcare reform documents which include 15 policies involving taxation, pricing, health screening practices, and government review principles.  

China's chief administrative authority encourages provincial officials and public sector workers to control the number of smokers by adding warnings on cigarette packaging and increasing prices. The nation seeks to protect 30 percent of its people from smoking by 2022 and the tally should be 80 percent in 2030. 

China will also fight cancer by expanding the scope of screenings while improving treatment, particularly in central and western regions. The country will enhance cancer research and accelerate approvals of urgently needed new drugs as it aims to boost the five-year survival rate of the group of diseases to 43.3 percent by 2022. That number should be 46.6 percent by 2030. 

The central government will also include 26 major health indicators, such as life expectancy and physical exercise among the general population, including students in primary and secondary schools, to the performance evaluation of all levels of government.

Editor: Emmi Laine