China Focus: China steps up emergency response as temperatures drop sharply

BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities have ramped up emergency measures to protect residents, infrastructure and energy supplies as a powerful cold wave grips large parts of the country, resulting in heavy snow, strong winds and plunging temperatures.

In north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, temperatures fell significantly after a surge of very cold air arrived on Sunday, with the lowest tem