One hundred residents of Huzhou city in east China's Zhejiang Province received their new, digitized ID cards Monday morning, marking China's first ID upgrade in almost 20 years.

The second-generation cards were also distributed in Shanghai and Shenzhen on Monday.

The newly released microchip ID card contains information such as validity period and issuer, as well as designs of the national emblem, the Great Wall and decorative patterns on the front. The cardholder's name, sex, ethnicity, birthday, address, ID number and photo are on the back.

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) started to consider changing the first-generation ID cards a few years ago due to quality and security. The old cards cannot be recognized by computers.

MPS official Bao Suixian said while attending Monday's card-issuing ceremony in Huzhou that the generational shift of China's ID cards will help to modernize population management.

Digital anti-forgery technologies are used in making the new ID cards, facilitating authentication and storage.

The 2G ID cards will be officially distributed nationwide in 2005 as the first-generation cards are phased out. The shift is expected to finish by the end of 2008.
 
(Xinhua News Agency March 30, 2004)