China to expand affordable childcare, pediatric services in 2026-2030 period

China will further expand affordable childcare services and improve access to pediatric medical care as part of its efforts to reduce the burden of childbearing, child-rearing and education on families, a health official said Monday.

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), China will continue promoting the integration of nursery and childcare services, while encouraging communities and employers to establish childcare facilities, said Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission, at a press conference in Beijing.

The move is aimed at enabling residents to access childcare services conveniently within their communities and workplaces and at relatively affordable prices, Lei said.

"During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we will continue to promote the integration of nursery and childcare services, support communities and employers in establishing childcare service institutions, and enable residents to obtain childcare services conveniently and within easy reach at relatively affordable prices. We will increase the enrollment rate in childcare services and reduce the costs of childbearing, child-rearing and education for families," Lei said.

On pediatric medical services, Lei said China aims to further strengthen healthcare provision at the grassroots level this year.

"This year, our goal is to add 1,000 community health service centers and township health centers providing pediatric diagnosis and treatment services on the basis of last year's progress. It is expected that by the end of the year, more than 95 percent of township health centers and community health service centers will be able to provide pediatric diagnosis and treatment services. In addition, we have selected pediatricians from secondary- and tertiary-level hospitals to support township health centers and community health service centers and to work at the grassroots level. About 3,100 pediatricians have now been dispatched nationwide, and we will continue this mechanism over the long term," Lei said.

China to expand affordable childcare, pediatric services in 2026-2030 period

China is ready to push for a community with a shared future in cyberspace, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press conference Monday in Beijing on the eve of this year's Cybersecurity Week.

The opening ceremony of this year's China Cybersecurity Week was held on Monday in Jinan, capital city of east China's Shandong Province, launching a week of related activities from Sept. 14 to 20 across the country.

"The network spans tens of thousands of miles and connects tens of thousands of households. A peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyberspace is of great significance to every country in the world. Since 2014, China has carried out the annual cybersecurity week activities, aiming to enhance everyone's awareness and skills in cybersecurity, foster a healthy and civilized network environment, and also provide useful Chinese practice for global internet governance," Guo said.

"Today, emerging technologies led by AI are reshaping the cyberspace landscape. As a steadfast defender of cybersecurity, China has formally brought AI into the national cybersecurity legal framework, and keeps improving related institutions, guidelines and ethical standards. China is ready to work with the international community to tackle cybersecurity risks in the AI era, advance the building of a community with a shared future in cyberspace, and let the internet better serve the peoples of all countries," he said.

China pushes for community with shared future in cyberspace: spokesman