A Harbin-based committee on aging, set up by the China National Working Committee on Aging and the Ministry of Civil Affairs, has issued regulations on the management of small-scale nursing homes so that uniform standards can be maintained. Harbin, the capital city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, is a pioneer in formulating such kinds of regulations in China.

The committee said that the city has 1.2 million elderly people including 170,000 disabled ones. Only about 200 institutions are registered with many others operating illegally.

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The new regulations dictate that institutions with fewer than 20 beds should be subject to standardized management practices. All illegal ones will be closed by the end of this year, the ministry said.

Yan Qingchun, vice-president at the government-run China National Working Committee on Aging, told China Daily that it is planning to step up the development of nursing homes across the country.

"We can build nursing institutions and authorize companies to operate, or support companies with enough funds and preferential policies," Yan said.

Yan said the Chinese government now welcomes overseas companies to invest in Chinese geriatric care. It will offer the same policy treatment to both overseas and domestic businesses.