Key facts
- China has released 19 new measures to expand and upgrade its domestic services sector.
- The initiative is a concerted effort to professionalize the vast but fragmented service industry.
- Policies aim to improve service quality, accessibility, and the overall consumption environment.
- The measures also focus on enhancing the employment conditions for domestic service workers.
- Community-based service outlets will be leveraged for personalized demand, including housekeeping and childcare.
China has introduced a comprehensive set of 19 measures, jointly issued by the Ministry of Commerce and eight other government departments, aimed at upgrading its domestic service industry. This initiative seeks to stimulate domestic demand by improving the quality and accessibility of services for consumers.
The policies are designed to professionalize a sector that employs over 30 million people, addressing a growing gap between rising urban demand for higher-quality services and a workforce characterized by a shrinking, low-skilled migrant labor pool. The guidelines encourage domestic service enterprises to explore new areas and integrate with sectors such as home renovation and furnishing.
To cater to personalized consumer needs, the measures advocate for the use of community-based service outlets to deliver tailored services, including shared housekeeping, cooking, and child pick-up. Furthermore, the initiative emphasizes improving the employment environment and conditions for domestic service workers.