Sun Xuegong, Director of the Decision Advisory Department at the Academy of Macroeconomic Research of China, wrote in the June 11, 2026 issue of “Social Sciences Weekly” (Page 1) that many current bottlenecks in service consumption are linked to restrictive measures, particularly in the mid-to-high-end service consumption sector, where substantial or procedural barriers remain. Therefore, expanding service consumption and developing consumer-oriented services will require further acceleration of reforms.
Public services need not only to expand in quantity but also to improve in quality. For example, as the population ages, there is an urgent need for age-friendly renovations. In recent years, China has made significant progress in this area, but there is still a gap compared to developed countries. The next steps should include scaling up age-friendly renovations and expanding their scope — not only covering families with elderly individuals facing special difficulties, but gradually extending to ordinary elderly households as well. Efforts should also accelerate the age-friendly renovation of urban public facilities, ensuring that public transport systems such as buses, subways, and railway stations are equipped with accessible facilities, and installing elevators on footbridges and underpasses to improve mobility for the elderly. At the same time, standards for age-friendly renovations should be strengthened, with clearer procedures and quality controls to ensure effective outcomes.