BEIJING, Feb. 28 -- China has stepped up efforts to boost the healthy development of daycare services for children under the age of three, senior National Health Commission official Yang Jinrui said Wednesday.

The country now has approximately 100,000 nurseries for children under three, collectively capable of facilitating about 4.8 million such children, Yang told a press conference.

In a bid to relieve parents of their burdens, China has stepped up efforts to provide more families with universal daycare services for children under three in recent years, including the establishment of related programs in vocational and undergraduate education.

Yang pledged that China would make more efforts to boost the development of universal daycare services for children under the age of three, enhance the quality of services, and improve the training system for those working in the sector.