BEIJING: The coverage of China’s social safety net has widened its reach over the past five years, offering protection to more people in need, a new government report says.
The country’s social welfare network has grown stronger, more inclusive, and more people-centered during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), according to a briefing held by the State Council Information Office on Thursday.
Lu Zhiyuan, the Minister of Civil Affairs, said the country has made “comprehensive progress” in ensuring the well-being of its citizens by building a more effective, equitable, and resilient safety net.
According to Lu, over the past five years, China has built a tiered and targeted social assistance system and launched a national dynamic monitoring mechanism to identify and support people in financial straits.
The average urban and rural subsistence allowance standards have increased by 19.6 percent and 21.3 percent, respectively, since 2020, with 39.4 million low-income residents and 4.82 million destitute individuals now receiving regular support.
Children’s welfare protection has expanded to cover orphans, left-behind children whose parents migrate to urban centers for work, and migrant children, marking a major step toward a comprehensive child protection and care system.
For people with disabilities, China has rolled out living and nursing subsidies, accelerated the development of care services for the severely disabled, and strengthened community rehabilitation services for those with mental disorders—benefiting more than 1.26 million people to date.
Lu stated, “China’s bottom-line social security network has grown stronger and denser, ensuring that everyone shares in the benefits of modernization.”
Elderly care, one of the government’s top social priorities, has also undergone a transformation.
China has established a national basic elderly care system with 406,000 care facilities and 7.99 million beds nationwide by the end of 2024. Over the past five years, the government has completed 2.24 million home renovation projects for seniors with special needs, built 500 model home care networks, 2,990 age-friendly communities, and 86,000 elderly canteens that serve well over 3 million seniors daily.
Various subsidies, including high-age allowances and nursing care support, now benefit 49.45 million elderly citizens. China’s social services have also become more accessible and diversified.
Nationwide marriage registration has simplified procedures for couples, while funeral and burial services have expanded significantly, with 3,350 public ash facilities, where families scatter the ashes of a loved one in a dignified environment, and 16,800 cemeteries built in the past five years.
The country’s charity sector is thriving too, with over 16,000 registered charitable organizations – a 70 percent increase from 2020, and annual donations exceeding 200 billion yuan (about $28 billion), reflecting a growing culture of compassion and social responsibility.
