Death rate drops for chronic cases

Despite improvements, lingering illnesses remain nation's biggest killer

China has cut its premature death rate from cardiovascular conditions, cancer and other major chronic diseases by nearly 19 percent in the past decade, and is redoubling efforts in tackling obesity to further curb its incidence, said officials during the weekend.

Cao Xuetao, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said that the premature death rate for people age 30 to 70 with chronic illnesses — that is, the possibility of them dying from cardiovascular or respiratory diseases, cancer and diabetes — fell from 18.5 percent in 2015 to 15 percent last year.

Chronic conditions are the biggest killer of Chinese people, accounting for over 80 percent of deaths annually.