China to popularize use of ETC

BEIJING - Chinese authorities will popularize the use of electronic toll collection (ETC) devices on freeways partly to reduce emissions and logistics costs, according to a Ministry of Transport circular.

By the end of this year, ETC devices will have been installed on more than 80 percent of registered automobiles, and more than 90 percent of vehicles on freeways should be able to use the ETC system by year-end, the circular said.

Installing the ETC devices in automobiles should be free of charge and there must be more service stations for installing the ETC devices, it added.

From July 1, 2019, the country will strictly implement the policy of granting a discount of no less than 5 percent to freeway tolls for ETC users, the circular said.

At the end of September 2018, the number of China's ETC users stood at 70.68 million, compared with a total of 235 million registered automobiles at that time.