A nationwide trial ceremony for the E-certificate for basic medical insurance was recently held in East China’s Shandong province, according to reports.

It was announced at the ceremony that seven provinces and 20 cities in the country would launch the service.

Officials said that Jilin province in Northeast China is one of the provinces.

Jilin locals who participate in social medical insurance can apply for the E-certificate through the official app for national healthcare security, WeChat, Alipay or other certified third-party platforms on mobile phones.

The E-certificate for basic medical insurance can be used in hospitals and for buying medicine in pharmacies, as well as other functions.

Officials said that the E-certificate makes payments and other services more convenient and easier and can be used across regional borders.

In addition, the service is much safer than using cards, adopting technologies such as the China-developed encryption algorithm, data encryption transmissions and dynamic two-dimensional code displays.

Officials said that the E-certificate will cover all areas in China in the future.