China says social security network "basically" established

BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- China had "basically" established a social security network on the foundation of social insurance, social assistance and social welfare by the end of 2011, the country's auditing authority said Thursday.

The country's National Audit Office said in an audit report posted on its website that more than 1.3 billion people were covered by the social insurance network by 2011, 3.77 times the number of people covered in 2005.

A social assistance network that mainly includes subsistence allowances for urban and rural people living in poverty has realized full coverage in the country, the report said.

"China has gradually improved the social welfare system that prioritizes assistance for the elderly, the disabled and orphans," it said.

By the end of last year, China had 42,500 social welfare institutions with 3.21 million beds, and a total of 2.38 million elderly people, disabled people or children were accepted.

The report also said that the fund for China's social security system was basically guaranteed and a management system for its social security net had also basically come into form by 2011.