A team led by He Wei, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), held discussion on accelerating the development of a public-interest childcare services system via video link with government officials and childcare service providers in the cities of Suzhou and Nantong in East China's Jiangsu province on March 30.

Calling public-interest childcare services an important measure to support China's third-child policy, He said the government work report this year has stressed initiatives to make care expenses for children under three part of the special additional deductions for individual income tax, and develop public-interest childcare services through multiple channels, to reduce the costs of giving birth and raising and educating children.

In light of its significance for the country's goal of long-term and balanced population development, the public-interest childcare services system should be developed through all-out efforts of the whole society, according to He.

He recognized the diverse channels and models Suzhou and Nantong have adopted to build a public-interest childcare services system, saying these regional practices are exemplary nationwide.

Following a people-centered philosophy, more efforts are needed to define the boundaries of the rights and responsibilities of the government, society and individuals in scientific and reasonable manners, properly handle the relationship between the government and the market, and diversify and expand the supply of public-interest childcare services, according to He.

The quality of childcare services should increase and they should be easily accessible and affordable to parents, he added.

This research session was part of preparations for a biweekly consultative seminar of the CPPCC National Committee to be held in April.