Li Baojun:

There is something else I wanted to add. The reforms boost the quality development of civil affairs initiatives in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that reforms should be furthered comprehensively, collaboratively, and efficiently, giving top priority to the reforms enabling people to enjoy a stronger sense of gain. In addition, the civil affairs authorities are required to continue reform and innovation and better perform duties. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, civil affairs authorities at all levels have put into effect the important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on deepening reform in all respects, thoroughly implement the decisions and plans made by the Party Central Committee , and continue to integrate improving institutional top-level design with solving the pressing difficulties and problems that are of the greatest concern to the people. Notable results have been achieved in the following three aspects.  

First, we have set up a pertinent institutional framework to guide civil affairs work. The past decade has seen China's National People's Congress (NPC) and its Standing Committee formulate or revise nine laws in the area of civil affairs, including the Charity Law. The State Council formulated and revised seven sets of administrative regulations in the area. The number of documents that were submitted to the CPC Central Committee and the State Council for approval reached 13 and 19, respectively. More than 100 documents have been formulated by reforming and innovating values, and seven cross-department joint conference mechanisms have been established. We have made efforts to improve social assistance, building a system that coordinates urban and rural resources and provides subsistence allowances, assistance and support for severely impoverished people, disaster relief, medical assistance, education assistance, housing assistance, employment assistance, and temporary assistance, while being supplemented by public participation. Moreover, we have improved the top-level design to promote the modernization of community-level governance system and capabilities, strengthen government service capabilities at town and township levels, and reform and refine the systems for regulating social organizations. We have promoted the establishment of a system providing basic elderly care services for all senior citizens. Relevant laws and regulations have been formulated and improved for regulating administrative division and geographical names. Institutions and laws relating to the development of civil affairs initiatives have been improved in the new era under the leadership of the CPC.

Second, we have followed the problem-oriented approach to address people's concerns in a timely manner. Over the past 10 years, by focusing on people's major concerns, we have carried out over 10 special campaigns such as improving the service in nursing homes around the country, cracking down on fraud in elderly care, undertaking an overhaul on illegal social organizations, addressing the imposition of arbitrary charges by associations and business chambers, regulating rural subsistence allowances, and addressing problems in funeral services. We have followed the principle of addressing overall problems while focusing on certain areas, and mobilized efforts to solve problems that harmed people's interests. With focus on the universal, fundamental, and deep-seated problems, we have adhered to the principle of addressing both their symptoms and root causes, and accelerated the building of major regulatory systems that could help strengthen the weaknesses, fill gaps, and step up oversight, so that various policy measures can bring benefits to the people.

Third, we have adhered to the innovation-driven approach to constantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our services. Just now, Mr. Zhan introduced the reform in marriage customs. Over the past 10 years, we have also launched a series of pilot reform programs in terms of community governance services, home-based and community-based elderly care services, and rehabilitative and assistive equipment sectors. In addition, we have comprehensively promoted the development of community workers' stations in townships, continuously optimized the "internet + civil affairs services," guided local authorities to deepen their reforms to streamline administration, delegate powers, improve regulation, and strengthen services in civil affairs, and explored the implementation of innovative reforms such as decentralizing the power of verification and confirmation of the subsistence allowances, and implementing temporary relief measures directly offered by the place where emergencies occur. We have also strengthened the application of new technologies and new means to comprehensively improve civil administration and to ensure that people can enjoy tangible benefits of our civil services.

Looking forward, we will continue to uphold Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, conscientiously implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on civil affairs, follow the people-centered philosophy, continuously deepen innovative reforms to better fulfill our missions and tasks in civil affairs on the new journey, advance the high-quality development of our civil affairs work, and make new contributions to the building of a modern socialist country in all respects. Thank you.