19th CPC National Congress holds fifth press conference

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The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held on Sunday a press conference about how to meet the new expectations of the Chinese people, and secure and improve their livelihood.

Officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, and the National Health and Family Planning Commission fielded questions from Chinese and foreign journalists.

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On education

Chinese Minister of Education Chen Baosheng reviewed the country's achievements in the field of education over the past five years, saying reforms in the sector have made steady progress.

Fiscal spending on education has increased, he noted.

Fiscal appropriation on education accounted for over 4 percent of GDP annually in the past five years, he said, adding that spending on education exceeded 3 trillion yuan (450 billion US dollars) in 2016 for the first time.

The influence of Chinese education rose in the past five years, with a total of 516 Confucius Institutes built in over 140 countries, according to Chen.

On employment and social security

More than 65 million jobs have been created over the past five years, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yin Weimin told reporters.

However, the official noted that challenges in China still exist, including how to improve the quality of created jobs.

China has the world’s largest social security network, with endowment insurance covering over 900 million people, and health insurance system covering over 1.3 billion people in the country, said Yin.

Talking about elderly care services, Civil Affairs Minister Huang Shuxian told reporters that progress has accelerated in this sector.

The number of registered elderly care institutions in China has reached 28,000, noted Huang.

On housing

Outstanding achievements have been made in supporting the property market, Housing and Urban-Rural Development Minister Wang Menghui said.

Over the past five years, strenuous efforts were made to advance the renovation work in run-down areas, helping over 60 million residents move into apartment buildings, Wang said.

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"Houses are built to be inhabited, not for speculation," he noted, quoting General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping who made the remark at the opening session of the Congress on Wednesday.

The real estate market remains steady in China, the official added.

On healthcare system

Chinese people have now access to high-standard medical services close to where they live, with 80 percent of the population only 15 minutes away from clinics, said Li Bin, Minister of National Health and Family Planning Commission.

The network of contracted family doctors covers 430 million people, Li added.

Out-of-pocket payment for medical treatment has been reduced from 40.4 percent in 2008 to below 30 percent now, the lowest level in two decades, according to Li.

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The 19th CPC National Congress began on Wednesday with over 2,300 Party delegates from across the country in attendance. The major political event will lay out the blueprint for the future of the Party and the country for the next five years.

Stay tuned for the latest news and updates on the 19th CPC National Congress.

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