Starting from July 1, several cities and provinces, including Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, and Shandong, Hainan, Hebei, Henan provinces, will implement a stricter State VI emissions standard, which is equivalent to the Euro VI standard.

Cars await sale at a dealership in Shenyang, Liaoning province. (Photo: China Daily)

China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, unveiled new measures in May to cut electricity costs for industrial and commercial users in the latest effort to reduce burdens on businesses.

According to the new measures, which will take effect on July 1, the fees for funding major hydropower projects will be reduced by 50 percent to lower electricity costs. Meanwhile, the country will also cut the value-added tax for power grids and encourage industrial and commercial users to participate in spot-price trading of electricity to further lower prices.

Shanghai will enact a set of regulations on household garbage sorting and recycling from July 1, according to the city's People's Congress. Individuals and units shall shoulder responsibilities to classify garbage according to the waste categories of recyclable, hazardous, wet, and dry. The city aims to have trash sorting programs in all of its residential neighborhoods by 2020.

Starting July 1, charges on real estate registration will be cut or canceled and the coverage of patent application and annual fee reductions will be expanded, according to a decision at a State Council executive meeting on April 3, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

For example, the ownership registration fee for real estate such as garage and parking spots will be reduced from 550 yuan ($80) to 80 yuan each. And the registration fee for continued use of trademarks will go down from 1,000 yuan to 500 yuan.

China's Cabinet issued a regulation on government investment on May 5. The regulation, which will take effect on July 1, lays out clearly the purpose, principle and scope of government investment, and outlines the decision-making and implementation processes, the legal liabilities and how the performance of an investment will be assessed.

This is China's first regulation on government investment, and it will serve as the foundation for the making of future rules and laws in this field.

China has released its first national rating system for nursing homes for the aged, which will come into effect on July 1. According to the standards, nursing homes will be divided into five grades, with Grade 5 representing the highest level. Grades will be valid for three years. To extend the certification, an application for review will be needed.

From July 1, the country will strictly implement the policy of granting a discount of no less than 5 percent to freeway tolls for electronic toll collection users, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Transport.

A new vehicle purchase tax regulation will come into effect from July 1. The new regulation will adjust taxable value to the amount consumers actually paid to sellers, instead of manufacturer's suggested retail price. Meanwhile, it set the tax rate at 10 percent, while clarifying those which need no taxes, including urban rail transit vehicles, excavators, cranes and electric motorcycles.

A new national safety standard for bouncy castles and other inflatable amusement devices will take effect on July 1. Released in February by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China, the new rules address several key risk areas and lay out clear requirements for anchoring and ballasting to stabilize the structures and keep them grounded.

Hotels in Shanghai will stop providing six disposable items such as toothbrushes and combs from July 1 unless guests request them, according to the city's tourism authorities. Aside from these items, bath brushes, razors, nail files and shoe brushes will not be provided, the Shanghai Administration of Culture and Tourism said.

The fee for regular passports will be lowered from 160 yuan to 120 yuan starting July 1, while the fee for a travel pass to Hong Kong and Macao will be reduced from 80 yuan to 60 yuan, according to the National Immigration Administration.

Registration fees for trademark renewals will decrease by 50 percent to 500 yuan and the fees for changing trademarks will decline from 250 yuan to 150 yuan, while there will be no charge for trademark businesses that apply online.

Other items, including trademark cancellation and reissuance of registration certificates, will pay 90 percent of the current fee.