Chinese Minister of Civil Affairs Li Xueju said China will continue to improve its social assistance system to enable low-income people to have adequate food and clothing.

More than 31 million low-income rural residents and 22 million low-income urban residents receive minimum living allowances, which have risen three times this year to reflect rising costs of daily necessities.

While Li noted the progress that had been made in the social assistance system, he also admitted problems existed. "The basic living allowances in both urban and rural areas are still not adjusted in a timely manner to reflect price fluctuations," he said, adding that this situation should be remedied.

"We will try to further improve the minimum living allowance system and other related social assistance plans, including those intended for the indigent and orphans," he said.

From January to September this year, more than 5.1 million childless senior citizens, 500,000 orphans and 1.4 million people classified as indigent received social assistance, according to Li.

The minimum living allowance system in rural areas was established this year, 10 years after a similar system was set up in urban areas. Subsidies vary by region according to economic conditions, but the basic requirement is to provide food and clothing for low-income people in urban and rural areas.

(Xinhua News Agency December 28, 2007)