BEIJING — China has achieved significant progress in improving elderly care services over the past decades in terms of law and policy improvement, market access expansion and service institution establishment, among other areas.

The following are key facts and figures about China's headway in elderly care services.

— By the end of 2018, China had about 249 million elderly people aged 60 and above, the largest elderly population in the world.

— A total of 163,800 elderly care institutions and facilities have been set up in China, offering 7.46 million beds for senior citizens.

— Over 93 percent of China's elderly care institutions are able to provide medical services by setting up their own medical stations or cooperating with medical institutions.

— Laws and regulations on elderly people's social insurance, welfare, education, sports activities and the protection of their rights and interests have been introduced and improved.

— All of China's urban communities and more than half of rural communities have established old-age service facilities.

In addition, China has carried out more measures to provide better services for the elderly. A guideline issued in 2017 said the ratio of nursing beds for the elderly should be raised to at least 30 percent by 2020.

The government released a regulation in April 2019 to further extend channels for investing and financing in the elderly service field, allowing more investors into the market.

Authorities also announced that institutions offering community-level elderly care services will enjoy tax preferences from June 1, 2019 to the end of 2025.