Published by ChinaMNC · Yuqing

Zunyi Enacts Home-Based Elderly Care Regulation: What Foreign Founders Operating in China Should Know

Zunyi's new Home-Based Elderly Care Regulation takes effect November 1, clarifying responsibilities among families, government and communities. Here is what foreign founders operating in China should understand about the policy environment in this prefecture-level city.

Zunyi Adopts Home-Based Elderly Care Regulation

On October 20, the Zunyi Municipal Government Information Office held a press conference under its "Walking the New Path of High-Quality Development, Showcasing Zunyi's New Style" series. Officials presented the Zunyi Municipality Home-Based Elderly Care Service Regulation (the "Regulation") and answered questions from reporters.

According to the briefing, the Regulation takes effect on November 1. It uses a simplified structure without chapter divisions and contains 32 articles. For foreign founders building businesses in China, local regulatory developments like this are worth tracking because they shape the operating environment, labor considerations and public-service infrastructure in the cities where you register and run a company.

Four Core Questions Behind the Regulation

The Regulation is described as problem-oriented and demand-oriented. Its institutional design is built around four core questions in home-based elderly care:

• Who is responsible — clarifying duties among families, government and society;
• What services are provided — defining the scope of care services;
• How it is supported — setting out safeguards and resources;
• How it is supervised — establishing oversight arrangements.

Officials said these layers are designed to connect with one another, and that the Regulation marks a new stage in which home-based elderly care in the city moves toward rule-based, standardized development.

Zunyi's Demographic Context

The press conference provided the following background figures:

• Zunyi has entered a moderately aging society.
• As of the end of 2025, the city's permanent resident population reached 6.4669 million.
• Residents aged 60 and above numbered 1.4104 million.
• The population aging rate is 21.81%, above the provincial average of 18.87%.
• The city expects to enter a severely aging society by 2038.
• Influenced by elderly care policies, living customs and other factors, more than 90% of elderly residents prefer home-based care.

These figures explain why local authorities are focusing on home-based care rather than institutional care alone.

What the Regulation Covers

Family Responsibilities as the Foundation

The Regulation emphasizes the foundational role of families. It states that children of elderly persons and others with legally defined support obligations should fulfill duties including financial support, daily care and emotional comfort, and should attend to elderly people's physical and mental well-being. It also links family responsibility with government support and social services: families are encouraged to live with elderly relatives or reside nearby, and support is provided so families can better shoulder care duties. The aim is a framework in which families fulfill their duties, government provides support and society participates.

Government Roles and Inter-Agency Coordination

The Regulation follows a model of government leadership, civil affairs coordination, departmental collaboration and social participation. It further defines the division of responsibilities between municipal and county-level governments and relevant departments. It calls on departments covering civil affairs, health, housing and urban-rural development, natural resources, and medical security to perform their respective duties and coordinate, forming a joint approach.

Village and Community Support

The Regulation highlights the supporting role of villages and communities. These bodies are expected to assist with registering elderly residents' information, surveying needs and conducting visits and care. They are also supported in using village and community elderly care facilities to provide services such as meal assistance and bathing assistance, and in organizing volunteer services and neighborly mutual help. The goal is to concentrate care resources around elderly residents — near their homes, in their surroundings and at their bedsides — so they can access convenient services at their doorstep.

Why This Matters for Foreign Founders

For foreign founders registering or operating a company in China, city-level regulations like this one are part of the local policy fabric. They signal how a city organizes public services and coordinates its departments — context that can matter if your business touches healthcare, senior care, community services, real estate or consumer services. More broadly, understanding local governance priorities helps founders assess the environment in the city where they establish a presence.

Foreign founders should note that this Regulation addresses home-based elderly care services and the responsibilities of families, government departments and community organizations. It does not itself set out rules for foreign investment, company registration or licensing. Founders considering senior-care-related business activities should review the specific sectoral rules and registration requirements that apply to their planned operations.

Key Takeaways

• The Regulation takes effect November 1 and contains 32 articles in a simplified format.
• It addresses who is responsible, what services are provided, how they are supported and how they are supervised.
• Zunyi's population aging rate is 21.81%, above the provincial average.
• More than 90% of elderly residents prefer home-based care.
• The framework combines family duties, government support and social participation, with coordination across municipal departments and a supporting role for villages and communities.

Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.