China Outlines Veterans Affairs Strategy for 15th Five-Year Plan Period

During a State Council Information Office press conference, Chinese officials outlined key priorities for veterans affairs under the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period. China aims to widen official placement channels, expand vocational training programs, and upgrade over 610,000 grass-roots service centers nationwide. Key measures include refining dynamic pension adjustment mechanisms, expanding the practical applications of veteran preferential treatment cards, and strengthening employment and education support for military families.

Support for military veterans directly impacts armed forces morale, civil-military relations, and local social stability. Institutionalizing welfare, pension adjustments, and post-service job placement aims to reduce re-entry friction while demonstrating state support for military personnel.

At a State Council Information Office press briefing on July 31, officials from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs detailed strategic priorities for the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period, emphasizing improved quality and efficiency in veteran services, according to CCTV reporting republished by state outlets. According to official figures released at the briefing, China has provided vocational skills training to 1.22 million veterans and adaptability training to 1.64 million veterans since 2018. Under the upcoming five-year plan, Beijing intends to further expand official placement channels and enhance employment and entrepreneurship support systems. Regional authorities are instructed to establish routine supply-and-demand matching platforms to help former service members secure stable employment. A central focus of the plan involves upgrading administrative infrastructure at the local level. Officials announced plans to advance the standardization and digitalization of more than 610,000 veteran service centers and stations nationwide, building refined service networks at the grass-roots level. The Ministry of Veterans Affairs, working alongside related government departments, also plans to refine assistance programs for veterans experiencing hardship. The state intends to maintain dynamic adjustment mechanisms for pension and subsidy standards while expanding practical use cases for veteran preferential treatment cards in everyday life. Additionally, the policy outline addresses civil-military support measures and historical commemoration. Local governments are expected to mobilize social resources to support active military personnel, focusing on job placement for military spouses and educational benefits for military children. State agencies will also fund upgrades to martyr memorial facilities and systematically centralize the management and protection of scattered martyr graves.