Domestic service industry to be made more standardized

The Ministry of Commerce, together with eight other government departments, has unveiled a package of policy measures to promote the high-quality development of the domestic service industry.

The 19-measure policy aims to drive the standardized, professionalized and industrialized development of the sector, so as to better leverage its role in boosting consumption, improving people's livelihoods and stabilizing employment.

The measures cover five key areas concerning support for enterprises, pioneering practices, vocational skills training, credit information management and fundamental underpinnings.

In terms of enhanced policy support, the measures back domestic service providers in innovating service models, exploring smart service scenarios and expanding home-based elderly care and childcare services, with an aim to foster a group of leading brands in the sector.

The policy also calls for clearly defining the rights and obligations of domestic service enterprises, online platforms and domestic service practitioners.

According to corporate information provider Qichacha, China is home to more than 3 million registered domestic service enterprises.

Departure tax refund services to go paperless for travelers

China has rolled out more measures to deliver smarter, more streamlined departure tax refund services for overseas visitors shopping in China, according to a notice issued by the State Taxation Administration.

The notice said the STA is pushing forward the intelligent upgrade of departure tax refund services by rolling out fully paperless processing, under which electronic data of refund applications and sales invoices are transmitted online.

In addition, the STA is promoting pilot programs for tax refunds to eligible overseas tourists who shop at online stores and advocates for cross-regional mutual recognition of the "refund-upon-purchase" scheme, the policy document said.

A nationally unified tax refund service code will be rolled out, enabling tourists to enter information, track processing progress, and check reimbursement status simply by scanning a QR code, the notice said.

Meanwhile, tax authorities will strengthen risk prevention and control to crack down on illegal activities including fraudulent proxy purchasing and the smuggling of tax-refunded goods back into the domestic market.

College graduates called up to serve in grassroots posts

Nine central authorities led by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security have launched the fifth round of one of China's major grassroots service programs to engage more university and college graduates to work at the grassroots level.

According to the implementation plan, 36,400 graduates will be recruited every year from 2026 to 2030 to serve at the grassroots level in education, agriculture, medical care and rural vitalization. Each service term lasts two years.

First introduced in 2006, the Sanzhi Yifu — or "three supports and one assistance" — program runs on a five-year cycle. The previous four rounds have mobilized a total of 640,000 college graduates to serve community-level posts across the country.

Over the years, the program has effectively optimized grassroots talent structure, bolstered local economic development, and enhanced grassroots social governance capacity.