China has boosted the elderly care support through funding, enhanced standards and talent training in the past year, Civil Affairs Minister Lu Zhiyuan said Saturday at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress.
Lu further broke down the efforts made in elderly care sector by the ministry in 2025.
"We have improved policies on factor input, and worked with relevant departments to increase support in terms of funding, planning, standards, personnel, and technology. We have also guided local authorities to make science-based plans for the layout of elderly care service facilities, formulated national and industry standards for elderly care services, vigorously developed smart elderly care, strengthen the training of elderly care professionals, promoted the recognition of vocational skill levels, and included 'elderly care service specialist' as a new profession," said Lu.
China's top legislature opened its annual session on Thursday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders attending the opening meeting alongside more than 2,700 NPC deputies. This year's NPC session is scheduled to run till March 12.
China boosts elderly care support through funding, enhanced standards, talent training: minister
China will step up efforts to stabilize employment in 2026, said the head of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) at a press conference on Saturday.
Last year, China's top political advisory body issued policy guidance known as the "four stabilities", directing relevant ministries and departments to seek stabilization in the areas of jobs, firms, markets and expectations.
In response, the MOHRSS has implemented an employment-first strategy. According to Minister Wang Xiaoping, speaking at a presser on the sidelines of the ongoing fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress in Beijing, the ministry will continue that strategy.
"We will further implement the employment-first strategy and requirements of the 'four stabilities', strengthen guidance, expand channels and prioritize key groups to make new progress in high-quality full employment," she said.
"In terms of 'stabilizing jobs', we will increase support for labor-intensive industries such as foreign trade, construction, accommodation and catering, with the aim of stabilizing employment positions while promoting the development of these sectors. In terms of 'expanding capacity', we will actively tap the employment potential in fields such as the digital economy, high-end manufacturing and modern services to achieve job growth alongside industrial upgrading. In terms of 'improving quality', we will effectively implement the adjustment mechanism for minimum wage standards, regulate the human resources market order, and fully enforce the guarantee system guaranteeing for migrant workers' wage payments, thereby elevating employment quality through strengthened rights protection," she said.
She noted that specific measures will be introduced to assist the upcoming wave of graduates.
"The number of college graduates in China is expected to reach 12.7 million this year. We will further improve policy measures, fully tap the employment potential of various channels and fields, expand employment space at the grassroots level, and help young people display their talents in all walks of life," she said.
China to boost employment with targeted measures: minister
