China introduces more supportive measures for veterans

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday it had carried out multiple measures to help military veterans find jobs and support them in other fields.

Local governments provided more than 80,000 former military officers with civilian jobs and helped over 400,000 retired soldiers resettle in 2018, said Wang Zhiming, a spokesman for the ministry at a press conference.

The ministry was unveiled in April 2018 to provide better services to veterans.

China's 123 centrally-administered state-owned enterprises have mobilized and offered around 15,000 job positions to veterans last year, Wang said, adding that the ministry also granted preferential policies to ex-servicemen who set up businesses, including financial and tax benefits.

The ministry has strengthened the education and training for veterans to make them more competitive in the job market and provided additional benefits for job-seekers.

The ministry noted that a draft law on veterans' welfare had been sent to departments at the central and provincial governments and the military for consultation.

Wang said the draft law would be open for public comment in due time.

The draft law includes provisions on the job placement, training, employment, favorable treatment and pensions of ex-serviceman, Wang said. Personnel files would be set up for veterans, and special treatment for retired soldiers with war experience clearly defined in the draft law.

Wang said new rules were also added to the draft law to clarify the accountability and responsibilities of officials tasked with arranging veterans.

The ministry added that the government was considering building military cemeteries to honor soldiers who had devoted their lives to the country.

The move is crucial to strengthening the protection of rights and interests of military personnel and enabling their families to have a stronger sense of honor and pride, Wang said, adding such efforts would make military service an occupation enjoying public respect.

The ministry has also relaxed certain restrictions concerning veterans' resettlement and enhanced the support for them before they were employed.

With veterans' affairs department set up at various levels of governments, a unified working system to provide services has been established, Wang said. The ministry would put more efforts on improving the supervision and inspection mechanism to protect veterans' rights and interests.