China’s commerce ministry has told families to keep a store of daily necessities in case of emergencies. COVID-19 outbreaks and unusually heavy rains caused an increase in vegetable prices, which has raised concerns about supply shortages. Local media recently published lists of goods to store at home, including hard breads and instant noodles, vitamins, radios and flashlights. Some Chinese citizens placed comments on social media that expressed fears of food shortages. Earlier this week, state media tried to ease those fears and further explain the ministry's statement. The Economic Daily newspaper told people not to have too much of an overactive imagination. The newspaper added that the purpose of the order was to make sure citizens were not surprised if there was a lockdown in their area. The People's Daily said the ministry makes such statements every year. The ministry made a similar announcement earlier this year because of natural disasters, the increase in vegetable prices and recent COVID-19 cases. The ministry's statement this week urged local officials to do a good job in ensuring food supplies and fixed prices. The statement also urged officials to give early warnings of any supply problems. The government usually makes extra efforts to increase fresh vegetable and pork supplies before the Lunar New Year, China's most important holiday. The Lunar New Year date in 2022 falls in early February. But this year, those efforts have become more urgent after extreme weather in early October destroyed crops in Shandong, the country's biggest vegetable growing area. Outbreaks of COVID-19 cases stretching from the northwest to the northeast of the country also threaten food supplies.
Title: China Asks Citizens to Store Necessities ahead of Cold Weather
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='China Asks Citizens to Store Necessities ahead of Cold Weather' data-article-id='5949'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='9625'>China’s commerce ministry has told families to keep a store of daily necessities in case of emergencies. </span> <span data-start-time='9625' data-end-time='22458'>COVID-19 outbreaks and unusually heavy rains caused an increase in vegetable prices, which has raised concerns about supply shortages.</span> <span data-start-time='22458' data-end-time='37729'>Local media recently published lists of goods to store at home, including hard breads and instant noodles, vitamins, radios and flashlights.</span> <span data-start-time='37729' data-end-time='47896'>Some Chinese citizens placed comments on social media that expressed fears of food shortages. </span> <span data-start-time='47896' data-end-time='57896'>Earlier this week, state media tried to ease those fears and further explain the ministry's statement.</span> <span data-start-time='57896' data-end-time='66354'>The Economic Daily newspaper told people not to have too much of an overactive imagination. </span> <span data-start-time='66354' data-end-time='77708'>The newspaper added that the purpose of the order was to make sure citizens were not surprised if there was a lockdown in their area.</span> <span data-start-time='77708' data-end-time='84229'>The People's Daily said the ministry makes such statements every year. </span> <span data-start-time='84229' data-end-time='96604'>The ministry made a similar announcement earlier this year because of natural disasters, the increase in vegetable prices and recent COVID-19 cases.</span> <span data-start-time='96604' data-end-time='106979'>The ministry's statement this week urged local officials to do a good job in ensuring food supplies and fixed prices. </span> <span data-start-time='106979' data-end-time='114542'>The statement also urged officials to give early warnings of any supply problems.</span> <span data-start-time='114542' data-end-time='128333'>The government usually makes extra efforts to increase fresh vegetable and pork supplies before the Lunar New Year, China's most important holiday. </span> <span data-start-time='128333' data-end-time='135021'>The Lunar New Year date in 2022 falls in early February.</span> <span data-start-time='135021' data-end-time='148667'>But this year, those efforts have become more urgent after extreme weather in early October destroyed crops in Shandong, the country's biggest vegetable growing area. </span> <span data-start-time='148667' data-end-time='158000'>Outbreaks of COVID-19 cases stretching from the northwest to the northeast of the country also threaten food supplies.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18216 data-hint-location='22458' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/what_is_a_flashlight.wav'>What is a flashlight?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a battery-operated portable light'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/a_small_electronic_device_containing_flash_memory_that_is_used_for_storing_data_or_transferring_it_to_or_from_a_computer_digital_camera_etc.wav'><span>a small electronic device containing flash memory that is used for storing data or transferring it to or from a computer, digital camera, etc.</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/a_batteryoperated_portable_light.wav'><span>a battery-operated portable light</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/a_scene_in_a_movie_novel_etc_set_in_a_time_earlier_than_the_main_story.wav'><span>a scene in a movie, novel, etc., set in a time earlier than the main story</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/a_sudden_local_flood_typically_due_to_heavy_rain.wav'><span>a sudden local flood, typically due to heavy rain</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18217 data-hint-location='128333' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/in_which_month_will_the_lunar_new_year_occur_in_2022.wav'>In which month will the Lunar New Year occur in 2022?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='February'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/february.wav'><span>February</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/march.wav'><span>March</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/january.wav'><span>January</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/december.wav'><span>December</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18218 data-hint-location='9625' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/covid19_outbreaks_and_unusually_heavy_rains_caused_an_increase_in_vegetable__blank__which_has_raised_concerns_about_supply_shortages.wav'>COVID-19 outbreaks and unusually heavy rains caused an increase in vegetable <span class='blank'>prices</span>, which has raised concerns about supply shortages.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='prices'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/prices.wav'><span>prices</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/parties.wav'><span>parties</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/glass.wav'><span>glass</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5357/books.wav'><span>books</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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