生态环境部、商务部、发展改革委、海关总署发布《关于全面禁止进口固体废物有关事项的公告》（以下简称《公告》）。

China will ban all imports of solid waste from Jan 1, 2021, authorities have said.The dumping, stacking and disposal of waste products from overseas on Chinese territory will also be banned, according to the notice.

《公告》明确，从2021年1月1日起，我国将全面禁止进口固体废物，禁止我国境外的固体废物进境倾倒、堆放、处置。

《海南经济特区禁止一次性不可降解塑料制品规定》12月1日起正式实施。

Disposable plastic bags and tableware that are non-degradable have been banned from production, sale and use starting Tuesday in China's island province of Hainan.

12月1日起，海南省全面禁止一次性不可降解塑料袋、塑料餐饮具等用品的生产、销售及使用。

12月1日起，北京、上海地铁乘车二维码实现互联互通。

The service, effective on Tuesday, allows the QR code on the respective apps in Beijing and Shanghai to be accepted for payments in the subway system of both cities.

自12月1日起，北京和上海的地铁乘车二维码均可用于两市地铁系统票款支付。

《中华人民共和国民法典》将于2021年1月1日起正式施行，其中新增的“离婚冷静期”受到网民关注。

Under the Civil Code, which comes into effect on Jan 1, couples will have a 30-day cooling-off period after handing their divorce application to the civil affairs department. During the period, either party can withdraw the application.

《中华人民共和国民法典》将于2021年1月1日起正式施行，其中规定，夫妻双方在向民政部门提交离婚申请后，要经历30天“冷静期”，在此期间，任何一方可撤回申请。

天津市人大常委会于近日表决通过了《天津市社会信用条例》（以下简称《条例》）。该《条例》将自2021年1月1日起实施，这也是全国首个公开禁止采集人脸识别信息的法规。

North China's Tianjin municipality will prohibit businesses and institutes from collecting personal bioinformation starting next year, amid heightened public concerns over the uncontrolled use of facial recognition, now employed in mobile payment, test-taking, and even public restrooms.

华北地区的天津市将从明年起禁止企业事业单位等收集个人生物信息。人脸识别如今已被广泛应用于移动支付、考试甚至公共卫生间等场所，这种无序使用状况引发公众担忧。

In a bid to strengthen COVID-19 prevention and control measures, China's National Health Commission (NHC) has urged efforts to set up fever clinics in eligible township and community medical institutions.

为加强新冠肺炎防控措施，国家卫健委要求在有条件的乡镇卫生院和社区卫生服务中心设置发热诊室。

The new height of Mount Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, is 8,848.86 meters, according to a joint announcement by China and Nepal on December 8. President Xi Jinping, exchanging letters with his Nepali counterpart Bidya Devi Bhandari, called Mount Qomolangma "an important symbol of the China-Nepal traditional friendship."

12月8日，国家主席习近平同尼泊尔总统班达里互致信函，共同宣布世界最高峰珠穆朗玛峰的最新高程为8848.86米。习近平指出，珠穆朗玛峰是中尼两国世代友好的重要象征。

The Chenghua branch of Chengdu's public security bureau said in a statement that the man surnamed Wang posted a picture on social media containing identity information and travel records of a woman surnamed Zhao, who was confirmed as a COVID-19 patient on Tuesday. Police said Wang's invasion of others' privacy caused baleful effects in society.

成都市公安局成华区分局在通报中表示，这名王姓男子在社交媒体发布了一张内容涉及12月8日确认新冠肺炎患者赵姓女子个人身份信息以及行动轨迹的图片，严重侵犯他人隐私，造成不良社会影响。

国家卫健委、国家医保局、国家中医药管理局联合发布《关于深入推进“互联网+医疗健康”“五个一”服务行动的通知》。

All regional authorities should implement regulations and mechanism for mutual recognition of health codes in order to facilitate travel and cross-provincial mobility and achieve universal recognition of health codes nationwide, stressed the circular.

通知要求，各地要落实“健康码”信息互认机制和规则，切实方便人员出行和跨省流动，实现防疫“健康码”全国互认。

12月9-11日，世界慕课大会在清华大学召开。教育部部长陈宝生在会上作主旨报告，分享了中国慕课与在线教育的实践、创新与探索。

China is committed to further opening up its MOOC resources and sharing its quality education resources with other countries and regions, Education Minister Chen Baosheng said the conference. The country now ranks first globally in the number of MOOCs and viewers, he said.

教育部部长陈宝生表示，目前，中国慕课数量和应用规模已居世界第一。他指出，中国致力于进一步开放其慕课资源，并与其他国家和地区共享优质教育资源。

2020年12月11日，国家语言资源监测与研究中心发布“2020年度中国媒体十大流行语”。本次发布的十大流行语依次为：

一、新冠肺炎 COVID-19

二、抗疫 the battle against COVID-19

三、复工复产 resumption of work and production

四、民法典 the Civil Code

五、网课 online classes

六、双循环 dual circulation

七、人类卫生健康共同体 a global community of health for all

八、抗美援朝70周年 the 70th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers entering the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to fight in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea

九、六稳六保 ensure stability in 6 key areas and effectively meet 6 priorities

“六稳”是指稳就业、稳金融、稳外贸、稳外资、稳投资、稳预期（keep employment, the financial sector, foreign trade, foreign and domestic investments, and expectations stable）工作；

“六保”是指保居民就业、保基本民生、保市场主体、保粮食能源安全、保产业链供应链稳定、保基层运转（ensure security in job, basic living needs, operations of market entities, food and energy security, stable industrial and supply chains, and the normal functioning of primary-level governments）。

十、嫦娥五号 Chang'e 5 lunar probe

教育部印发《关于破除高校哲学社会科学研究评价中“唯论文”不良导向的若干意见》，提出10个“不得”的底线要求。

Chinese education authority has required universities and colleges to rectify the problem of overemphasizing the role of theses in academic appraisals.

教育管理部门要求高校纠正在学术评价中过度强调论文的问题。

12月16日，国家语言资源监测与研究中心发布“2020年度中国媒体十大新词语”。本次发布的十大新词语依次是：

一、复工复产 resumption of work and production

二、新冠疫情 COVID-19 pandemic

三、无症状感染者 asymptomatic cases

四、方舱医院 makeshift hospitals

五、健康码 health QR code/health code

六、数字人民币 digital currency

七、服贸会 China International Fair for Trade in Services, CIFTIS

八、双循环 dual circulation

九、天问一号 Tianwen 1

十、无接触配送 contactless delivery

President Xi Jinping on Dec 17 congratulated the complete success of the Chang'e-5 mission that brings back the country's first samples collected from the moon. On behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission (CMC), Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CMC, extended warm congratulations and sincere greetings to all members who participated in the Chang'e-5 mission in a congratulatory message.

12月17日，嫦娥五号首次实现了我国地外天体采样返回。中共中央总书记、国家主席、中央军委主席习近平发来贺电，代表党中央、国务院和中央军委，向探月工程任务指挥部并参加嫦娥五号任务的全体同志致以热烈的祝贺和诚挚的问候。

联合国教科文组织保护非物质文化遗产政府间委员会第15届常会于12月14日至19日在线上召开。本届常会共评审57个国家申报的50个非物质文化遗产项目。

Tai Chi, a centuries-old martial art and now a popular form of exercise, was inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on Thursday evening (Beijing Time). Another honored entry is "Wangchuan ceremony and related practices for maintaining the sustainable connection between man and the ocean," which was nominated by China together with Malaysia.

北京时间12月17日晚，我国单独申报的“太极拳”、我国与马来西亚联合申报的“送王船——有关人与海洋可持续联系的仪式及相关实践”两个项目，列入联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。

太极拳

Originating during the mid 17th century in Wenxian county in Henan province in central China, it is now practiced throughout China by people of all ages and by different ethnic groups.

太极拳自17世纪中叶发源于河南省温县以来，习练者遍布全国各地，不限年龄、不限民族。

Tai chi's basic movements center on wubu (five steps) and bafa (eight techniques) with a series of routines, exercises and tuishou (hand-pushing skills, performed with a counterpart).

太极拳最核心的动作是“八法五步”常规招式以及“推手”（两人之间双手的徒手对抗）。

送王船

The wangchuan ceremony and related practices are rooted in folk customs of worshipping Ong Yah, a deity believed to protect people and their lands from disasters.

送王船及相关实践源自于民间的王爷崇拜信俗，据称王爷是可以保护民众及其土地免受灾害的一位天神。

The element evokes the historical memory of ancestors' ocean-going and honors the harmony between man and the ocean. It also bears witness to the intercultural dialogue among communities.

送王船传递着人们对先辈走向海洋的历史记忆，体现了人与自然和谐相处的理念，见证了社群之间的跨文化对话。

国务院联防联控机制12月19日的新闻发布会表示，在冬春季节到来之际，对部分重点人群开展新冠病毒疫苗接种工作，后续争取做到高风险人群“应接尽接”。

In a two-step vaccination drive, the COVID-19 vaccines will be given first to priority groups, including those engaged in handling imported cold-chain products and people working in exposed sectors such as port inspection and quarantine, ship pilotage, aviation, fresh market, public transport, medical treatment, and disease control, Cui Gang, an official with NHC's disease control department, said at a press conference.The vaccination program will also cover those who plan to work or study in countries and regions with medium or high risks of exposure to the virus, Cui added.

国家卫生健康委疾控局负责人崔钢介绍，我国目前接种的策略是按照“两步走”方案，第一步主要是针对部分重点人群开展接种，这些人群包括从事进口冷链、口岸检疫、船舶引航、航空空勤、生鲜市场、公共交通、医疗疾控等感染风险比较高的工作人员，以及前往中高风险国家或者地区去工作或者学习的人员。

Mystery boxes are gaining popularity in China, with the size of the toy's market expected to reach over 30 billion yuan by 2024, according to an industry report.

一份行业报告显示，盲盒在中国的受欢迎度不断攀升，预计到2024年，盲盒的市场规模将达到300亿元。

12月22日，反食品浪费法草案提请十三届全国人大常委会第二十四次会议审议，为治理“舌尖上的浪费”建章立制。

Catering service providers may face a fine ranging from 1,000 yuan to 10,000 yuan if they encourage or mislead consumers into ordering excessive quantities of food which causes waste, and refuse to rectify the problem after being warned by market supervision departments, according to the draft law.

草案规定，餐饮服务提供者诱导、误导消费者超量点餐造成明显浪费的，由市场监督管理部门给予警告，拒不改正的，处一千元以上一万元以下罚款。

12月23日，国务院新闻办就《中国居民营养与慢性病状况报告（2020年）》有关情况举行发布会。

As the nation's economy and power continue to grow, Chinese people are getting taller, but they are also putting on weight at a worrisome rate, according to the report.

报告指出，随着我国经济和实力的增长，居民身高持续增长，但体重也以令人忧心的速度增加。

12月26日，十三届全国人大常委会第二十四次会议表决通过刑法修正案（十一），共48条，针对低龄未成年人犯罪、知识产权侵权等问题，对刑法作出修改完善。

The amendment stipulates heavier criminal penalties for IPR infringements, raising the maximum prison term for trademark and copyright infringements from seven years to 10 years. The amendment also lowers the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 12 for severe crimes such as murder.

刑法修正案针对侵犯知识产权的犯罪行为规定了更加严格的处罚，将商标及知识产权侵权行为的最高刑期由7年提高至10年。同时，修正案将谋杀等严重犯罪行为的刑事责任年龄降低至12岁。

The Beijing-Xiong'an intercity railway opened to traffic on Dec 27, connecting the Chinese capital with the Xiong'an New Area. The railway is 91 kilometers long and has a maximum design speed of 350 kilometers per hour. Passengers can take high-speed trains from Beijing West Railway Station directly to Xiong'an New Area with the shortest commuting time at 50 minutes. The journey between Beijing Daxing International Airport and Xiong'an will be about 19 minutes.

北京至雄安新区城际铁路（京雄城际铁路）12月27日全线开通运营。线路全长91公里，最高设计时速350公里。北京西站至雄安新区间最快旅行时间50分钟，大兴机场至雄安新区间最快19分钟可达。

教育部制定的《中小学教育惩戒规则（试行）》12月29日颁布，2021年3月1日起实施。

In its first official guideline on teachers' rights to discipline students, the Ministry of Education said primary and secondary school teachers have the authority to hand out punishment and clarified the kinds of punishment not allowed.

教育部第一次以部门规章的形式对教育惩戒做出规定，规定中小学教师和学校可以对学生实施的教育惩戒方式，同时明确了教师实施惩戒过程中被禁止的行为。