Cnr.cn:

My question is about ensuring citizens' wellbeing. In recent years, China has invested significantly in society and people's livelihood, as was mentioned by the minister earlier. The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC also made new arrangements for ensuring the people's wellbeing. What work has the MOF done to promote a sound social security system and to support employment and medical services? Moving forward, what are the plans and considerations? Thank you.

Wang Dongwei:

I'll invite Mr. Lin Zechang to answer these questions.

Lin Zechang:

Thank you for your questions. Social security is closely tied to the people's wellbeing and social equity. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee has placed the development of the social security system in an even more prominent position. In line with the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee, the MOF has prioritized support for ensuring and enhancing the people's wellbeing, focusing on issues of concern to the general public. In 2023, nationwide fiscal expenditures on social security, employment and healthcare totaled 6.23 trillion yuan, accounting for 22.7% of the country's general public budget expenditures for the year. Pensions have steadily increased, and a multi-tiered and multi-pillar old-age insurance system has become more robust with a basic elderly care system taking initial shape. Subsidies for basic medical insurance have continued to be raised with the per capita government subsidies for basic medical insurance for rural and non-working urban residents increasing to 640 yuan, and the reimbursement rates for hospitalization expenses covered by basic medical insurance for urban employees and rural and non-working urban residents stabilized at 80% and 70%, respectively. Social assistance policies have become more targeted, with the average monthly standard for urban and rural subsistence allowances reaching, per person, 786 yuan and 621 yuan, respectively. The employment-first strategy has been fully implemented, promoting overall employment stability. Supporting policies on childbirth have been improved, and public-interest childcare service demonstration projects have been organized and carried out. In general, people's livelihood in fiscal funding arrangements has continued to be prioritized, ensuring people's living needs are better met.

The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC made new arrangements for ensuring people's wellbeing. The MOF will increase investment, improve mechanisms and work with relevant departments to effectively address the concerns of the people, in accordance with the requirements of the CPC Central Committee.

In terms of elderly care, we will improve the unified national management system for basic old-age insurance funds, refine the mechanisms for financing and adjusting benefits and gradually raise the basic pension benefits for rural and non-working urban residents under the basic old-age insurance scheme. We will provide supports to boost the supply of basic elderly services, work faster to shore up weaknesses in rural elderly care services and ensure that the basic elderly care needs of groups with special difficulties are met.

In terms of medical services, we will refine the mechanism for financing basic medical insurance for rural and non-working urban residents, deepen reforms of medical insurance payment methods, improve the unified management of major disease insurance and medical assistance scheme, and tighten oversight over medical insurance funds. We will improve the public health system and deepen the reform of public hospitals to see that they better serve the public interest. We will also strengthen the top-level design of the insurance schemes for long-term care.

In terms of employment, we will strengthen coordination and synergy with employment policies and make sure our efforts are aligned with them. We will enhance the employment support system for key groups, such as college graduates and migrant workers, develop a sound system for lifelong vocational skills training, and work hard to tackle structural unemployment.

In terms of childcare, we will improve the policy system and incentive mechanisms for boosting the birth rate, enhance the development of a public-benefit childcare service system, and strive to build a childbirth-friendly society.

That is all from me. Thank you.