At a November 10 news conference in Beijing, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) outlined plans to adjust education resources, expand eldercare and childcare, improve healthcare facilities and strengthen measures aimed at stabilizing the prices of essential goods, according to Xinhua.

Education. Huang Weiru, deputy director of the NDRC’s Department of Social Development, said the school-age populations for kindergarten, primary school and junior high school had peaked, while those for senior high school and higher education were still growing. She said the commission would work with the Ministry of Education and other agencies to reallocate some surplus facilities, increase senior high school places and expand access to undergraduate education. Plans also include adding education resources in towns receiving school-age migrants and increasing the share of migrant children attending public schools.

Eldercare, childcare and healthcare. Huang said the agency would support upgrades to older eldercare institutions and equipment, with a goal of bringing the proportion of nursing-care beds in eldercare institutions to 73%. Other plans include extending childcare service centers to all prefecture-level areas, developing community-based care and expanding home services. She also described plans to improve key township health centers, develop mobile medical services in remote areas, and renovate hospital wards to improve accessibility.

Essential goods. Zhang Luqin, deputy director of the NDRC’s Department of Pricing, said the commission would improve price monitoring and early warnings for essential goods during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. She also cited minimum purchase-price policies for rice and wheat and closer coordination between producing and consuming regions as measures to support supply and price stability.

Revolutionary base areas. Feng Yao, deputy director of the NDRC’s Department of Regional Revitalization, said growth in per-capita GDP and disposable income in counties designated as revolutionary base areas exceeded national averages during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. He pointed to a 2026 policy document on revitalizing those areas and said future support would focus on local industries, urbanization, infrastructure, public services, education and other priorities.

Source: Xinhua’s November 10 report.