China is to build a childbearing-friendly society to advance high-quality population development, Lei Haichao, head of China's National Health Commission (NHC), said at a press conference in Beijing on Friday.
At the press conference following the conclusion of the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Lei said the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development, adopted at the key meeting of the Party, has introduced the roadmap on the national health and population development.
In terms of accelerating the construction of a healthy China, the Recommendations have clearly set out the strategy of putting health first, he said.
"In promoting high quality population development, the Recommendations advocate for fostering a proactive approach towards marriage and childbearing, optimizing childbearing supporting policies and encouraging childbearing, and leveraging the comprehensive functions of measures such as child rearing subsidies and tax deductions for childcare. We will expand pilot subsidy programs for nursing and childcare services and develop the inclusive childcare services and integration of childcare to lessen the burden of families in childbearing, raising and education. We will improve and implement maternity insurance and childbirth leave systems, and enhance health services for women and children," Lei said.
Lei said China will improve the policy mechanisms for the coordinated development of the elderly care industry, optimize age restriction policies in employment and social security, and actively develop elderly human resources and silver economy.
China to build childbearing-friendly society: official
The inaugural International Forum on Mutual Learning Among Civilizations opened in China's Macao Special Administrative Region on Tuesday, attracting over 300 participants.
The forum, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, brings together representatives of government and international organizations, and leading experts from around the world to have dialog and academic exchanges.
Under the theme of "Mutual Learning among Civilizations, Inheritance and Development," the conference features two parallel sub-forums -- "Mutual Learning among Civilizations and Diverse Coexistence" and "Conservation and Sustainable Development of Cultural Heritage"-- alongside a series of academic salons. It will also feature nearly 20 keynote speeches and discussions.
At the forum, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR government O Lam highlighted Macao's historical role as a bridge between civilizations.
"This is Macao, strong in a gentle mood, adhering to tradition in fashion, maintaining peace, harmony, courtesy and integrity. Human civilization has never advanced without exchanges and mutual learning. Macao's recent history of five centuries stands as a living record of the harmonious coexistence and common development of Chinese and Western civilizations. Here, there has been no clash of civilizations, only cultural convergence; no hierarchy of values, only dialog on an equal footing. Macao, with its history of integration of Chinese and Western civilizations, offers practical evidence, and will continue to evidence that the old logic of zero-sum game is unsustainable, while cooperation and harmony represent the true direction of human civilization," she said.
Qian Chengdan, professor of history from Peking University, also underscored the importance of civilizational diversity.
"Diversity of civilizations is among the most fundamental and vital attributes of humankind. It is hard to imagine a world with only one civilization, one voice. If there were only one single civilization and one single voice, mutual learning among civilizations will be out of the question," he said.
Macao hosts inaugural International Forum on Mutual Learning Among Civilizations
