Xi emphasizes veterans welfare

President calls for firm support for military retirees

President Xi Jinping has encouraged officials devoted to veterans welfare to stay true to their original aspirations and keep their mission firmly in mind in securing new progress in work related to military retirees.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, spoke while meeting with delegates attending a national work conference on veterans on Friday. He took a group photo with delegates attending the conference.

Among them was Zhang Fuqing, a 94-year-old war hero hailed by Xi for his battle achievements as a soldier and devotion to the people's well-being as a veteran.

Xi shook Zhang's hand, talked to him and extended his warmest regards. Zhang voiced his appreciation to Xi and the CPC Central Committee, saying he wanted to closely follow the Party's leadership and be a good soldier for the Party.

"You have achieved all of that," said Xi. "You are a role model for the whole Party and the whole country. Take care, and I wish you good health and a long life."

Xi said in an instruction published in May that Zhang lives a life of simplicity, purity and indifference to fame and fortune, serving as a role model for military officers, rank-and-file soldiers and veterans.

Xi has underlined the importance of caring about military retirees on a number of occasions.

He paid a special visit to a community veterans service center in Tianjin during an inspection trip in January.

He called for local authorities to make concrete efforts to protect the legitimate rights of veterans with measures to ensure their work and life.

China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs was unveiled in April 2018 as the country scaled up efforts to help retired military officers and soldiers.

Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan said at the work conference on veterans — the first time it was held since the veterans affairs ministry was formed — that Xi's instructions on veterans affairs must be implemented in full, and the Party's leadership over work in the area must be adhered to.

Sun required efforts to continue the country's fine traditions of work in the area, make innovative efforts and refine related policies, laws and regulations.

She stressed the need to extend more help to veterans in the job market, protect their interests and improve services for them.

She also called for more security for veterans in their work and life so as to stimulate them to make positive contributions to the country's reform, development and social stability.

The conference commended 401 model former servicemen as well as 91 model units and 76 individuals for serving veterans.

Authorities offered more than 80,000 former military officers civilian jobs and helped over 400,000 retired soldiers resettle in 2018, according to the Ministry of Veterans Affairs.