People's Daily Online:

Recently, Jilin's restaurants for the elderly have attracted wide attention from the public. Could you please introduce the progress of the program? What other measures will Jilin take to address livelihood issues? Thank you.

Cai Dong:

Thank you for your attention on this important issue. There are around 6 million elderly people in our province, accounting for about a quarter of the total population. Meeting their dining needs and improving relevant services is a significant matter related to people's livelihoods and well-being. We have already built a batch of restaurants for the elderly, effectively providing them convenience, resulting in positive feedback. This year, we will build and renovate 1,300 restaurants for the elderly in the province to ensure every community has at least two establishments and each township has at least one. Furthermore, we aim to achieve full coverage of meal services for the elderly in urban and rural communities with relatively concentrated aging populations and higher demands within about three years.

The elderly dining service epitomizes Jilin's work to improve people's livelihoods. We regard the small matters in people's lives as important issues, strive to address them with dedication and sincerity, and truly respond to the needs and aspirations of the people. For example, in terms of employment, we are fully committed to promoting employment for key groups such as college graduates and migrant workers. In 2023, the proportion of college graduates staying in the province to work exceeded 60%, with many young people from other provinces choosing to pursue careers here. Additionally, the proportion of migrant workers employed within the province has increased from approximately 60% in the past to around 80% currently. Another example is heating supply, which is a matter of great concern to the people. We have made significant efforts to address related issues. On one hand, we have established a digital supervision platform to monitor the outlet temperature and operating curves of heating ports in real-time. On the other hand, we have established a reward and punishment mechanism for heating-supply enterprises, resolutely removing those receiving many complaints and providing poor service from the market to ensure that the people can enjoy a warm winter. Furthermore, in healthcare, we have implemented the policy of "only one registration for each medical visit," which we will pilot this year in over 100 major hospitals. At the same time, we are vigorously promoting the delivery of high-quality medical resources to township hospitals to make healthcare access more convenient.

This year, our province will focus on seven areas: employment promotion, social security, education benefits, health care, elderly care, cultural and sports activities, and public services. We will implement 25 livelihood projects, paying particular attention to major and difficult issues of widespread concern, and delivering practical benefits that enhance people's sense of fulfillment. For example, we will upgrade the valves and pipes for users of bottled liquefied gas, support the construction of "vibrant playgrounds" in primary and secondary schools, and reform passenger transport routes to make them similar to the model for buses.

Our financial investment in livelihood projects has been increasing every year, with over 70% of new finances being allocated to safeguard people's livelihoods. Our goal is to quickly address shortcomings, secure the basic livelihoods of the people, and align high-quality development with the people's interests, ensuring that the fruits of development benefit a wider range of people. Thank you.