BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- China is stepping up elderly care initiatives as the country grapples with the challenges of an aging population, which now accounts for more than one-fifth of its citizens.

At a national conference on civil affairs on Monday, officials outlined progress in boosting home-based care, nursing facilities and protection for seniors in 2024 as well as new measures for 2025.

Home-based elderly care, which aligns with traditional family values, meets the needs of the majority of seniors who wish to age in place.

In 2024, the central government allocated 300 million yuan (41.73 million U.S. dollars) to support elderly meal assistance programs nationwide while additional initiatives helped set up 358,000 in-home care beds.

Institutional care has also seen significant progress. By October 2024, China had 404,000 elderly care institutions and facilities.

Looking ahead, the Ministry of Civil Affairs aims to introduce policies in 2025 that promote greater social participation among the elderly and protect their legal rights.

Official statistics show that 297 million Chinese people were aged 60 or above by the end of 2023, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population. ■