BEIJING -- Chinese medical institutions will begin issuing paper and electronic death certificates simultaneously starting Jan 1, 2027, as part of efforts to improve efficiency and public services, according to a circular released Friday.

The circular, jointly issued by five government departments including the National Health Commission, aims to standardize the registration and management of medical death certificate information and promote the application of electronic credentials, making related procedures more convenient for the public.

Beginning July 1 this year, medical and health institutions nationwide will adopt a unified format and coding system for medical death certificates. Both paper documents and electronic certificates will carry equal legal validity, the circular said.

Authorities will also establish a nationally unified electronic information system for medical death certificates, regulate issuance timelines and electronic seals, and optimize procedures for certificate issuance and reissuance in various circumstances.

A medical death certificate, issued by healthcare institutions to certify a person's death and cause of death, is a key document required for household registration cancellation and funeral arrangements. It is jointly administered by the health, public security, and civil affairs authorities.

The circular further calls for standardized data collection and strengthened information verification, statistical analysis and interdepartmental data sharing, in a bid to build an authoritative national mortality database and support more accurate population health analysis and life expectancy calculations.