The Chinese government has recently issued a new policy to make sure that senior citizens across the country spend no money or less money when using public facilities, particularly in transportation, medicare, and cultural activities.

Public facilities financed by the government should open to senior citizens free of charge or with preferential discounts, says a central government document jointly issued by 20 ministry-level departments.

The elder people, wherever they come from, should be taken goodcare of in terms of life support, medicare and cultural practices,says the document, adding that special attention should be paid tothose who are extremely poor or old, living alone, and suffering illnesses and disabilities.

Senior citizens must be exempted from any kind of social fund-raising activities, while poverty-stricken elders or those who are unable to support themselves should be put under the umbrella of medical assistance, the document says.

Senior citizens should also enjoy preferential treatment and better services when they take public transport tools of all kinds and use public facilities such as museums, libraries and city parks, the document adds.

Source: Xinhua