为应对严寒，抗雪救灾，中央政府要求各地部门采取应急措施，确保生产，恢复人民正常生活。

China's ministries launch emergency measures

To deal with the problems caused by the extreme cold, central government ministries are asking local officials to activate emergency procedures aimed at securing production, and returning people's lives to normal.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs has launched a national disaster relief plan in order to stabilize the lives of people in affected areas. The Ministry is also requesting that local authorities make sure relief goods can reach beleaguered areas safely, and quickly.

Meanwhile, the National Development and Reform Commission has asked local governments to stabilize prices, and secure market supply. It says current stockpiles of food, oil, and sugar are sufficient to meet people's demand.

The Ministry of Commerce has adopted measures to protect market stability while opening new product supply sources.

The Ministry of Railways has intensified its work to cope with the shortage of heating and power supplies.

In addition, the Ministry of Transport has taken measures to prevent harbors from freezing.