BEIJING - The first batch of 22 provincial governments in China have joined the national fight against myopia among young Chinese, People's Daily reported Monday.

The governments have signed a letter of responsibility with the Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission (NHC), vowing to cut the overall myopia rate among children and teenagers by at least 0.5 percentage points a year from 2019 to 2023.

For those with higher-than-average myopia rate, the local governments will take measures to reduce the rate by one percentage point a year.

Measures will include reducing the heavy academic burdens and ensuring at least one hour of physical exercise at school.

The move came as the country combats myopia among children and teenagers as the disease has become severe in recent years, with teenagers affected at a younger age.

More than half of Chinese children and teenagers suffered from myopia in 2018, figures from the NHC show.