BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Here are the highlights of China's health news from the past week:

-- China's COVID-19 vaccines safe, effective

Clinical trials and emergency inoculations so far have shown that China's COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, said Zheng Zhongwei, an official with the National Health Commission (NHC) and head of a national working group for vaccine development.

China has already conducted nearly 1 million emergency inoculations. Some minor adverse reactions have been reported, but no serious side effects have occurred, according to Zheng.

-- Premature mortality rate from chronic diseases drops in China, challenges remain huge

Premature mortality rate from major chronic diseases has declined in China, but health challenges caused by increasingly ageing population and unhealthy lifestyle remain tremendous.

The premature mortality rate among Chinese residents due to four major chronic diseases -- cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes -- was 16.5 percent in 2019, two percentage points lower than the 2015 figure, NHC figures show.

-- Int'l alliance of traditional medicines targets major infectious diseases

An international alliance of traditional medicines on the prevention and treatment of major infectious diseases has been established in China's capital Beijing.

The alliance was initiated by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in cooperation with the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies, and the China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine.