Recently, the general offices of the Communist Party of China Chongqing Municipal Committee and Chongqing Municipal People's Government issued the Key Measures to Reform and Improve the Social Assistance System of Chongqing in southwestern China.

The Measures focus on the establishment and improvement of a multi-level and diverse social assistance system. The aim is to strengthen basic living assistance, medical service, education, housing, employment, and other emergencies, provide assistance to cover more areas, encourage extensive social engagement in social assistance, improve social assistance mechanism and social assistance guarantees.

In terms of improving the social assistance mechanism, the Measures specifies the requirements for improving the review and approval mechanism and encouraging possible places to accept applications for basic living assistance and residents with residence permits to apply for social assistance at places where they live.

The mechanism for checking the financial conditions of families receiving social assistance at all levels should be improved. In this regard, the civil affairs departments may check on housing fund payment, vehicle and vessel registration, personal banking information, commercial insurance, and securities through the law's relevant departments and agencies.

Relevant departments and agencies may inquire about the household registration, tax payment records, social insurance payment, real estate registration of families receiving social assistance. All the relevant people should cooperate with them.

As for the multi-level and diverse social assistance system, the Measures also clarifies that the year 2022 will see an effective role of comprehensive assistance, significantly improved social assistance, and efficient and convenient assistance to people in difficulties.

The year 2035 will see a more improved social assistance system, along with a closer connection with policy implementation and a more extensive social engagement in social assistance. Diverse assistance will also be expected to meet, and the social assistance system will be consistent with the economic and social development.

In terms of comprehensive assistance, the Measures suggest a multi-level and diverse social assistance system that prioritizes assistance in basic living should be formed. Other special programs and emergencies should also be included in the system to make assistance efforts become targeted and efficient, showing society's love.

It is also suggested to innovate approaches to provide social assistance and develop service-based social assistance to establish an assistance pattern of "materials + service."