The first batch of affordable medicines intended for urban and rural community clinics was approved for marketing, a spokeswoman for the country's top drug agency said on Friday.

The announcement demonstrated the substantial progress of the country's push to make basic medical service affordable to the public, deputy director of the policy and regulation department of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) Yan Jiangying said.

"The move is intended to help tackle longstanding problems with access to affordable medical services," she said.

Now, 18 frequently used medicines are to be produced and supplied by 10 designated companies across China.

The drugs were made affordable by simplifying the packaging and other production procedures, she said.

However, the quality of the medicine will continue to be monitored by, and meet the standards of, the joint supervision by the State Food and Drug Administration, the National Development and Reform Commission and Ministry of Health, Yan said.

The SFDA pledged that related local drug bureaux will supervise the production, transportation, distribution and use of the medicine.

Zhang Qianbing, general manager of North China Pharmaceutical Group Corporation, which represents the 10 medicine suppliers, said the firms were committed to serving community clinics.

Logistics challenges add greatly to the costs of medicines, so the 10 producers will simplify the distribution procedures for the drugs. "The problems in the logistics' channels will be tackled," he said.

More medicines will be added to the list in the future, Yan said.