Beijing municipal authorities have announced substantial advancements in social welfare infrastructure, marking significant progress in both elderly care and early childhood support systems during China’s 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).
At a Thursday press briefing, officials revealed the establishment of 152 community-based service centers specifically designed to assist senior citizens. These facilities provide comprehensive support including meal delivery services, daily living assistance, and specialized help with hospital visits. According to Yang Zhiwei, Vice-Director of the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau, these services currently benefit approximately 2.07 million elderly residents, with 293,000 recipients being octogenarians or older.
Concurrently, the city has made remarkable strides in early childhood education accessibility. Wei Xubin, Vice-Director of the Beijing Education Commission, reported that kindergarten enrollment capacity for children under three years old has expanded to accommodate 33,000 infants and toddlers. Notably, 26,000 of these young learners qualify for placement in public kindergartens with preferential tuition arrangements, substantially reducing financial barriers for families.
The coordinated development of these parallel support systems demonstrates Beijing’s commitment to addressing demographic challenges through targeted social policy implementation. These initiatives represent critical components of the city’s broader strategy to enhance quality of life across generations while adapting to evolving population needs.