China has unveiled a national plan to promote mutual aid eldercare services, part of broader efforts to respond to its rapidly aging population and improve community-based care.

A guideline jointly issued by 11 central government departments, including the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Development and Reform Commission, outlines a framework to expand such services nationwide and better meet the diverse needs of older adults.

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, Zhang Jun, deputy director of the eldercare services department at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, said mutual aid eldercare refers to voluntary, nonprofit services provided through mutual assistance among neighbors or community residents. He said developing such services is an important part of implementing China's national strategy to actively respond to population aging.

By the end of 2025, China's population aged 60 and above had reached 323 million, accounting for 23 percent of the total. Expanding mutual aid eldercare is key to building a system suited to China's conditions, Zhang said.

The push follows a central policy document issued in December 2024 that called for deepening reform and development of elderly care services and explicitly encouraged the growth of mutual assistance in the sector.

The new guideline calls for integrating mutual aid eldercare into urban and rural community governance and developing sustainable, diversified service models led by the government, supported by grassroots organizations and widely participated in by society.

By 2030, at least 70 percent of community eldercare facilities are expected to provide mutual aid services. A nationwide mechanism to ensure regular visits and care for elderly people in special difficulties will also be fully established at township and subdistrict levels. By 2035, services are expected to become more organized, with stronger support systems.

The guideline emphasizes community-based, home-supported services as a priority. Local governments are encouraged to form service teams made up of community workers, volunteers and younger, healthy seniors to provide assistance such as meal delivery, housekeeping, mobility support, medical help and emergency response.

In rural areas, authorities will promote flexible models tailored to local conditions, including neighbor-based support and paired assistance. Existing facilities such as rural care centers, township nursing homes and unused school buildings will be upgraded or repurposed into elder-friendly communities.

New approaches will also be explored, including volunteer services under the "Silver Age Action" initiative and pilot programs allowing participants to earn service credits. These credits can be redeemed for goods at supermarkets or used for meals at restaurants. Authorities are also encouraging the development of eldercare-related jobs in rural areas.

To improve accessibility, the guideline calls for better use of existing community infrastructure and public service venues, while encouraging eldercare institutions to open their facilities and provide professional support.

Zhang said that after years of exploration, mutual aid eldercare has produced a variety of models and practical experience that have helped meet the needs of some seniors. However, he noted that stronger policy support is still needed in areas such as resource integration, service guarantees and standardization.

Wu Yunxia, head of the civil affairs bureau of Ulaanqab in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, said the city faces urgent demand, with people aged 60 and above accounting for 37.2 percent of its population, more than 60 percent of whom live in rural areas.

She said the city has built 475 rural "happiness homes" with 38,600 housing units, enough to accommodate 60,000 elderly residents. Since 2023, 138 of these facilities have been upgraded, with the rest to be renovated in the coming years.

Wu added that teams of retired cadres and younger, healthy seniors have been organized to assist older residents with mobility, emergencies and psychological care, forming 5,473 support pairs citywide.

Officials said they will continue strengthening grassroots participation, improving coordination and enhancing service quality to build a more inclusive and sustainable eldercare system.