Handbook on Social Policy in China

Edited by Chak Kwan Chan, Director and Research Professor, Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, Kinglun Ngok, Professor, Center for Chinese Public Administration Research, School of Government, Sun Yat-sen University, China, Florence Meng Soi Fong, Senior Lecturer, Asia-Pacific Institute of Ageing Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong and Jie Lei, Professor, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nanjing University, China

‘The editors and contributors to this important Handbook have produced a comprehensive and informative collection on social policy in China. They describe the country’s social services, analyze their economic and political dimensions and assess their impact. The Handbook will be a vital academic and professional resource for many years to come.’

• ContentsList of figures viiList of tables viiiList of contributors ix1 Introduction: welfare reforms and inequalities 1Chak Kwan Chan and Kinglun NgokPART I POLICY-MAKING AND KEY PLAYERS2 Social policy-making in China 11Kinglun Ngok3 Central-local relations and the transformation of social policy in China 28Kexin Zhang, Yukeke Qin and Mianguan LiPART II MAIN POLICY AREAS4 Social assistance in contemporary China 47Ka Lin and Longge Chen5 Old age pensions 60Tingting Wan6 Employment policy 78Kinglun Ngok and Yang Liu7 Health policy 97Bohan Huang and Zhenyu Wang8 Housing policy in transitional China 115Fei Ouyang, Yaoxuan Huang and Yung Yau9 Education policy 134Jie WangPART III SPECIAL POLICY ISSUES10 Tackling poverty 157Qiu Cheng11 Non-governmental organisations in China 175Chak Kwan Chan and Ka Chung Kwong12 Family policy and practices in China: the past, present, and future 186Yunqi Wang and Yan Ruth Xia13 Migrant workers in China 200Haining Wang14 Left-behind children in rural areas 218Huang Wan and Xiaojin Chen15 Ageing policies in China: reform process, current challenges, and futureprospects 236Peng Du and Yesheng Luo16 Child welfare policy reform and inequality in China 258Jie Lei, Hanyu Zhang and Guofang Huang17 Policies on women and gender: recent changes and problems 272Yu Ding18 Mental health policy: international and Chinese perspectives 291Sheying Chen19 Digital technology in health care services delivery 313Terence C. Cheng and Hongqiao Fu20 Policy responses, challenges and opportunities in the new era of China 326Florence Meng Soi Fong and Kinglun Ngok