China will improve and further implement policies and measures to proactively respond to population aging and promote the expansion, quality improvement and efficiency enhancement of the elderly care service sector, Lu Zhiyuan, China's minister of civil affairs, said on Saturday.

Lu made the remarks during a press conference on people's livelihood on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress.

Lu said China has preliminarily established a comprehensive elderly care service network covering both urban and rural areas, adding that the country is expanding community-based home care services. Across the country, 80,000 senior dining centers now serve more than 3 million seniors daily.

A total of 495,000 home-based care beds have been set up, bringing professional care directly to seniors. In addition, 2.24 million households with elderly residents in special need have received home modifications to make their living spaces more accessible, Lu added.

China's elderly care service vouchers for seniors with moderate to severe disabilities have benefited 892,000 people, with redemptions totaling 1.72 billion yuan ($249 million) so far this year, he said.

In the next five years, China will strive to establish a three-tiered elderly care service network at the county, township and village levels. The country will also promote the upgrading of equipment in elderly care institutions, strengthen specialized training for service personnel and develop elderly care technology, he added.

China will strengthen care services for disabled and cognitively impaired elderly people, while carrying out visits to those living alone and empty-nesters to ensure they live happy, healthy and socially active lives, he added.