One hundred residents of Huzhou city in east China's Zhejiang
Province received their new, digitized ID cards Monday morning,
marking China's first ID upgrade in almost 20 years.
The second-generation cards were also distributed in Shanghai
and Shenzhen on Monday.
The newly released microchip ID card contains information such
as validity period and issuer, as well as designs of the national
emblem, the Great Wall and decorative patterns on the front. The
cardholder's name, sex, ethnicity, birthday, address, ID number and
photo are on the back.
The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) started to consider
changing the first-generation ID cards a few years ago due to
quality and security. The old cards cannot be recognized by
computers.
MPS official Bao Suixian said while attending Monday's
card-issuing ceremony in Huzhou that the generational shift of
China's ID cards will help to modernize population management.
Digital anti-forgery technologies are used in making the new ID
cards, facilitating authentication and storage.
The 2G ID cards will be officially distributed nationwide in
2005 as the first-generation cards are phased out. The shift is
expected to finish by the end of 2008.
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(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2004)