The Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, has adopted new regulations providing preferential treatment to elderly residents, marking the first such local law in China.

The “Regulations on Preferential Treatment for the Elderly” will come into force on January 1.

The law introduces measures to ease the burden on families caring for elderly parents. Employers are encouraged to provide support to workers whose elderly parents are hospitalized, by providing them with a minimum of five days of paid leave per year.

The leave will not affect salary, benefits or promotion prospects, the rule states.

“This is a significant step forward,” said Xu Xiao, deputy director of the legal affairs commission of the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress in Yangzhou.

“Yangzhou first introduced preferential treatment measures in 2018. This new regulation builds on this foundation, incorporating feedback from a wide range of businesses and adjusting the provisions based on the aging population of the city.

One key change is expanding eligibility for paid leave to all children of elderly parents, rather than limiting it to just children. The move, Xu said, reflects the urgent need to support families in Yangzhou, where 28.59 percent of the city’s 4.58 million residents are aged 60 or older.

The broader trend of China’s population aging is also striking. According to a recent report from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, as of the end of last year, the country had nearly 297 million people aged 60 or over, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population.

In addition to paid leave, the new regulations aim to make daily life easier for elderly residents by improving access to health care and public services.

Healthcare facilities are required to establish priority services for older patients, including streamlined appointment systems and designated hospital services for geriatric care. Elderly residents will also benefit from increased discounts on public transport and entry to scenic spots, while transport hubs and public vehicles will be required to reserve designated seats for them.

The regulations also call for a unified assessment system to assess the care needs of older people, helping them access services such as home care and long-term insurance.

The new measures have drawn praise from residents like Zhong Lei, 40, who lives in the neighboring city of Nanjing.

“As someone who cares for both elderly parents and young children, these regulations are humane and practical,” Zhong said. “If my parents are hospitalized, I would feel more comfortable knowing that I can take time out to care for them personally.

“Therefore, it would be better to take time off and personally look after them, which would give them some peace of mind,” he said. “And I hope that not only for the elderly, but also for parents of young children, care leave should be provided.”