(ECNS) -- With the coming of 2016, six phrases are expected to become a growing part of the Chinese lexicon, and to some extent reflect the future focus of China's development. These six phrases are dream, smog, New Year baby, residence permit reform, rocket force and box office.
Dream
"With persistence, dreams could be achieved." China's President Xi Jinping said so in his 2016 New Year Message. Xi reviewed 2015 and pointed out that in 2016 it is very important for China to build an overall well-off society. To achieve the "Chinese Dream," hard work, structural reform, and a fair and transparent society are all very crucial.
Smog
Many parts of China spent the first days of 2016 under heavy smog, including Beijing, Shandong and Anhui. January 1 also marked the first day that the newly amended regulation governing the prevention and control of air pollution was put into force.
With heavier punishments for pollution incidents, the expanded law has nearly doubled the clauses, showing strong commitment to protecting public health and greater determination to deter enterprises that cause pollution.
New Year baby
The newly amended population and family planning law was also in effect on the first day of this year, marking the official end of the "one child" policy.
But experts stress that allowing second children is only the first step. Corresponding policies for economic, social and family life also need to be improved, to ensure that all newborns enjoy good care and education. At the same time, third and fourth children are still banned.
Residence permit reform
Starting from 2016, people who live and work in places that are not their hometowns must hold a Residential Permit, instead of a Temporary Residential Permit.
The omission of the word "temporary" heralds a fundamental policy change, enabling migrants to gradually gain access to local public services and social welfare. It will also allow them to settle down with permanent residency in the future.
So far, 31 provincial regions have rolled out the Residential Permit policy, and more than 20 of them will design channels for migrants to get permanent residency. The ultimate goal of the residency system is to allow citizens access to identical public services wherever they go, and the current reforms are concrete progress towards this goal.
Rocket force
China inaugurated three new bodies of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on December 31, 2015, as part of its military reforms. They are the PLA Army General Command, the PLA Rocket Force, and the Strategic Support Force.
President Xi said the PLA Rocket Force, whose original name was "Second Artillery Force," is a "core force of strategic deterrence, a strategic buttress to the country's position as a major power, and an important building block in upholding national security."
The establishment of the three new military bodies has optimized the PLA's structure and enhanced its combat ability to meet the needs of modern warfare.
Box office
Holidays always see crammed cinemas, and on this New Year's Day, China's single-day box office takings hit a record 346 million RMB, with "Detective Chinatown" topping the list with 112 million RMB. "Mr. Six" and "The Ghouls" claimed second and third places with 84.99 million RMB and 72.34 million RMB.
In 2015, China's box office reached 44 billion RMB, increasing 48.7 percent compared to 2014, and domestic movies accounted for 61.58 percent of the total box office. Some phenomenal movies by young directors showed the Chinese film industry's creativity and potential. Yet ensuring consistent good quality is still a challenge for the industry.
