China names demonstration cities for childcare services

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A total of 33 Chinese cities and districts have been named demonstration areas for infant and childcare services, according to a circular released on Wednesday.

The demonstration cities and districts should deepen their efforts to provide various forms of publicly accessible childcare services, and gradually improve the policy and regulation system, the normative standard system, and the supply system for infant and childcare services, per the circular jointly issued by the National Health Commission (NHC) and the National Development and Reform Commission.

The selection of demonstration cities and districts will help encourage social forces to play their part, and enhance the general quality of childcare services, said Yang Wenzhuang, head of the population and family department of the NHC.

In 2019, the general office of the State Council released a guideline urging the launch of a nationwide initiative to develop models for the provision of infant and childcare services.

The two commissions will select demonstration cities and districts every two years following the unveiling of the first batch.