Chongqing – During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Chongqing has aligned civil affairs with broader development priorities, linking social welfare initiatives to high-quality economic growth and improvements in public well-being, officials said at a press conference on September 12.
Authorities emphasized targeted social assistance as a cornerstone of the effort, with Chongqing ensuring that 952,000 residents on minimum living allowances or in extreme poverty had adequate food and clothing. This group, affected by structural poverty, illness, disability, or lack of family care, reflects those still in need despite overall improvements in living standards.
China’s basic social safety net mainly includes two forms of support. The minimum living allowance helps households whose per capita income falls below the government’s set standard. Subsistence assistance, on the other hand, is provided to people who cannot work, have no income, and lack family support.
To address the diversity of needs, Chongqing has advanced reforms in stratified and categorized social assistance. This approach means tailoring policies according to different levels of hardship and types of vulnerability, rather than applying a uniform standard.
For example, support varies between urban and rural residents, between those in temporary hardship and those in long-term extreme poverty, and between elderly individuals and families with children. The reform aims to improve efficiency, precision, and fairness in the allocation of resources—ensuring that every vulnerable group receives appropriate assistance.
Reforms in stratified and categorized assistance have strengthened dynamic monitoring and joint support for low-income groups. Over the past five years, Chongqing has raised the minimum living allowance standards to 770 yuan (about 108 U.S. dollars) for urban residents and 630 (about 88 U.S. dollars) yuan for rural residents. Support for the extremely poor increased to 1,001 yuan—representing gains of 24.19%, 27.02%, and 24.19% respectively.
Addressing demographic challenges, Chongqing underscored the growing pressure of population aging. By the end of 2024, Chongqing's elderly population aged 60 and above reached 8.01 million, accounting for 25.11% of residents—3.1 percentage points higher than the national average.
To respond, Chongqing adopted the "9073" elderly care model: 90% of seniors rely on home care, 7% on community support, and 3% on professional institutions.
To improve daily services, Chongqing has developed more than 400 elderly care service circles, offering nearby access to meals, healthcare, bathing, and other assistance. Professional services have also been extended to communities and families, providing diverse offerings such as day care, meal support, rehabilitation, cultural and sports activities, and psychological comfort.
Elderly residents practice Tai Chi at the community elderly service center. (Photo/Dai Yuan)
One notable innovation is the rapid expansion of senior dining halls. Chongqing has established a diversified model that includes institutional, community, residential, assisted, and market-based canteens.
More than 700 catering and property service companies, alongside 700 elderly care institutions, now operate canteens or provide meal delivery. To date, Chongqing has built 1,733 senior dining halls tailored to local conditions, covering 88.6% of streets and 35.1% of towns. These facilities serve 2.4 million elderly residents each year, helping to meet both nutritional and social needs.