Hongxing News:

People with disabilities are a particularly vulnerable group that requires special care and attention. The third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee explicitly proposed improving the social security and service systems for people with disabilities. Could you please specify what reform measures the MCA will take to ensure support for the vulnerable under this new arrangement and new instruction? Thank you.

Lu Zhiyuan:

I would like to invite Mr. Wang Jinhua from our social affairs department to answer this question.

Wang Jinhua:

Thank you for your question. As you said, people with disabilities are a unique group that requires special attention and care. China is home to 85 million people with disabilities, over 38 million of whom have certified disabilities. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, continuous efforts have improved the living conditions and quality of life for people with disabilities. On the new journey, facing expectations for a better life that encompass both basic needs and development, spanning material and spiritual needs, we must implement the requirement set by the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee to improve the "social security and service systems for people with disabilities." We'll take this as a key task to address shortcomings, strengthen weak points and enhance quality and efficiency, providing more stable and higher-level support for their well-being and public services. Based on civil affairs authorities' duties, we'll focus our efforts on four areas:

First, we'll continue to implement and improve the subsidy system for living expenses of people with disabilities in need and nursing costs for those with severe disabilities. This key welfare program is a pillar of China's social welfare system. As of August, it has benefited 11.91 million people with disabilities facing economic hardship and 16.07 million with severe disabilities. Next, we'll guide local authorities to refine the mechanism for adjusting subsidy standards, gradually increasing amounts to ease the burden on those in need, those with severe disabilities and their families. We'll streamline the application process through services like inter-provincial handling, complete online processing and proactive assistance, making it more accessible and efficient. We'll also strengthen supervision of subsidy issuance to ensure timely, full and error-free payments, ensuring every cent is used effectively.

Second, we'll strengthen the mental health welfare service system. Mental health issues significantly affect social stability and people's well-being. People with mental illnesses and their families often face considerable challenges due to these conditions' unique nature. In recent years, the Ministry of Civil Affairs has advanced the construction of mental health welfare institutions. Now, 141 such institutions operate nationwide, providing over 70,000 beds and greatly improving treatment, assistance and care for people with mental illnesses facing extreme difficulty. We're focusing on addressing gaps in these institutions in prefecture-level cities and high-demand counties, refining management and service standards, and enhancing service quality. Additionally, we're advancing an initiative to help people with mental health conditions integrate into society. The ministry has made arrangements to provide more equitable, accessible and continuous community rehabilitation services, facilitating their reintegration into society.

Third, we'll boost the rehabilitation assistive devices industry. This industry is foundational and service-oriented, essential for ensuring and improving the livelihood and well-being of people with disabilities. Our country has immense demand for rehabilitation assistive services and significant potential for industry growth. Moving forward, we will seize development opportunities, strengthen guidance for industry development, formulate development plans, step up industry promotion and application, and improve the construction of the service system. We'll refine networks for displaying, renting, cleaning, configuring and selling rehabilitation assistive devices. We'll also bolster the industry's capacity for independent innovation and enhance the technological and intelligent aspects of these devices to meet the diverse rehabilitation needs of people with disabilities.

Finally, we'll accelerate the improvement of relevant laws and regulations. We'll work to formulate policies for providing care to people with severe disabilities, focusing on addressing challenges faced by families relying on elderly individuals to care for disabled persons, those with elderly disabled individuals and households with multiple disabled members. We'll implement the Civil Code requirements to formulate guidelines on civil affairs authorities fulfilling guardianship duties for disabled adults, effectively safeguarding the rights of people with mental and intellectual disabilities. Thank you.