All Chinese citizens aged 16 and above will receive new version ID cards by 2008, said State Councilor Zhou Yongkang at a teleconference on Thursday.

The issuance of the new cards, which contain personal information in an embedded microchip, is part of the government's efforts to modernize the country's population management and information network.

It will further protect the rights of citizens, said Zhou, who is a member of both of the Political Bureau and Secretariat of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Zhou told departments concerned to improve their services by simplifying procedures and preventing corruption.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2005)