Political advisors propose improving social assistance through legislation

BEIJING - China's national political advisors have offered proposals on improving social assistance through legislation during a consultation session in Beijing.

The biweekly session, organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, was presided over by Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee.

Wang said prudent efforts should be made to formulate the social assistance law on the basis of actual conditions while adhering to a people-centered approach and coordinating the government's leading role and social participation.

Eleven political advisors and special guests invited to the meeting put forward proposals on the matter, while over 40 political advisors voiced their opinions via a mobile platform.

Noting the need to shift social assistance toward a new development phase after the elimination of absolute poverty, the political advisors stressed improving the overall efficiency of social assistance through greater coordination.

Relevant standards should be set up in a scientific way so that assistance is delivered to all eligible individuals, according to their proposals.

They also called for diversified social assistance services, including daily care and psychological counseling, simplification of social assistance procedures, and tightened oversight of assistance funds.