Speaking at it, Ismail Amat, executive deputy director of the Chinese State Council’s Ageing Work Committee, promised the elderly they could expect further improvements to their lives this year.

As the population ages, the central government has attached great importance to taking care of the elderly, recognizing they have contributed much to the country’s present prosperity, and focusing on making their lives better, he said.

The work committee was set up last year. Beijing residents should notice great differences, said Wan Siquan, vice-chairman of the Beijing Municipal People’s Political Consultative Conference, also the assistant to the Beijing mayor.

Beijing is a major sponsor of the get-together. It will step up its efforts to improve the conditions of various recreation rooms and senior homes this year.

Some elderly people, particularly those living alone, will have bells fitted to their homes to alert personnel at the community office when there is an emergency.

(China Daily 01/22/2001)