Community-embedded service facilities to benefit more urban residents: officials

BEIJING, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- The construction of high-quality and inclusive service facilities embedded in urban communities will make such services more accessible to the people and transform these communities into people's happy homes, according to government officials.

During a press conference on Monday on a government plan that promotes the construction of service facilities at urban communities, Liu Ming, director of the Department of Social Development under the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, said that the plan aims to offer residents accessible and affordable quality services in fields including elderly and child care, food serving, health service, sports, and leisure activities, among others.

The plan, formulated by the NDRC, was publicized by the General Office of the State Council on Sunday. Under the plan, China will pilot the construction of service facilities embedded in the public spaces of residential areas in about 50 cities to provide one-stop community services for residents. Priority will be given to providing urgently needed services, and other services will be gradually incorporated into such facilities.

The service facilities will be promoted first in big cities with a permanent urban population of more than 1 million and later to other cities. According to the plan, relevant projects will be launched in approximately 100 residential communities in each pilot city.

"Currently, more than 65 percent of China's population lives in cities," Liu said, adding that on the basis of the experience and practices as well as the effective construction models formed through the pilot projects, similar projects will be rolled out to other cities and more communities.

By 2027, such community-level services will be rolled out in other cities to provide residents with high-quality public services on their doorstep, according to the plan.

Zhang Yan, an official with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at the press conference that starting next year, the ministry will conduct inspection work at cities and communities to compile a list of problems such as the lack of services or services that are not up to standard, in order to provide support for the scientific planning and layout of community service facilities.