BEIJING - The State Council, China's cabinet, has issued a guideline on improving the competitiveness of the country's medical and pharmaceutical industry.

Quality and standardization were identified as priority tasks in the guideline.

Equipment should be updated, intelligent factories and digitalized plants established, and the Traditional Chinese Medicine sector should undergo modernization.

Medical and pharmaceutical enterprises were encouraged to align their production systems and certification practices with international standards.

Moreover, long-distance medical services, such as consultations, should also be provided.