Social Security
China is the world's largest developing country with a huge
population, weak economic basis and unbalanced development among
regions and between rural and urban areas. Perfecting the social
security system is an arduous and heavy task.
The Chinese Government has, with its people-first focus,
attached great importance to the establishment and improvement of
the social security system. According to the statistical
communiqué, up to the end of 2005, 174.44 million people were
covered by urban basic old-age insurance, an increase of 10.91
million over the previous year. Of these, 130.82 million were
employees and 43.62 million, retirees. By the end of 2005, 137.09
million people had participated in the basic medical insurance
program, an increase of 13.05 million over the previous year. This
included 99.59 million employees and 37.5 million retirees.
Unemployment insurance and work injury insurance covered 106.48
million and 83.9 million people respectively, an increase of
640,000 and 15.45 million over the previous year.
By the end of 2005, basic old-age insurance covered 40.02
million participating retirees of enterprises and the pensions were
paid on time and in full. Laid-off workers entering the
reemployment service centers in 2005 were provided with basic
living allowance on time and in full, and their social insurance
premiums were paid by those service centers. By the end of 2005,
3.62 million people benefited from unemployment insurance benefits.
A total of 22.33 million urban residents received the minimum
living allowance for the whole year, an increase of 278,000 over
the previous year.
Social welfare institutions offering adoption services were
equipped with 1.5 million beds and took in 1.16 million people. Of
the 170,000 community facilities built in urban areas, 9,705 were
comprehensive community service centers. In 2005, welfare lotteries
raised 41.1 billion yuan, while social welfare funds contributed
14.4 billion yuan and direct donations, 2.9 billion yuan.
Between 2000 and 2005, the total income in, and expenditure
from, the social insurance fund in China was nearly 700 billion
yuan and more than 540 billion yuan, respectively. This helped
guarantee workers their legal rights and benefits and played an
important role in maintaining social stability and promoting
economic development and social harmony.
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