Editor's note:?The country's new law on social assistance will come into effect on July 1. China.org.cn spoke to Yang Lixiong, a professor in the School of Labor and Human Resources at Renmin University of China, to gain insights into the new legislation. Below are excerpts of the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

Until now, social assistance in China was limited to those facing extreme hardship or qualifying for minimum living allowances. The new law expands coverage to include special hardship support for families close to qualifying for minimum living allowances and those facing difficulties in paying rigid expenditures, as well as other groups identified by local governments as needing assistance.

A significant change in the new law is the recognition of diverse assistance needs and the introduction of new forms of support. One notable development is the inclusion of service-based assistance, which will now include basic living necessities, essential nursing services, medical care and burial services.

In the past, social assistance mainly relied on the distribution of goods or cash payments. The new law recognizes service-based assistance as a legal right, significantly broadening the scope of social assistance. The challenge now lies in effectively providing such services, which will be a key issue in the development of the social assistance system.

The property ownership criteria have also been revised. In the past, many people with incomes at or below the minimum living standard were unable to qualify due to strict property rules. Some local governments have now lowered the asset threshold, allowing more people to receive assistance.

The methods for verifying income and assets have also become more diversified. Previously, social assistance staff members mainly relied on home visits and neighborhood inquiries, but such methods often proved inaccurate. In today's society, it is much harder to obtain reliable information through such traditional approaches. Therefore, verification methods have become more varied. Digital verification platforms not only reduce the workload for staff members but also improve the accuracy of the process.

At present, different forms of social assistance overlap, particularly because minimum living allowance status is tied to many other welfare benefits. The new legislation therefore stresses the importance of self-reliance among beneficiaries. However, without concrete supporting measures, which include broader welfare reform, achieving this goal will be difficult.

For now, the law mainly sets out broad principles and clarifies government responsibilities. The staff members can be held accountable if they fail to provide assistance to those who qualify or ensure basic support where needed. At the same time, they will also bear responsibility for incorrectly approving assistance.

However, the law remains relatively vague when it comes to the rights and obligations of aid recipients themselves, making implementation more challenging in practice. Defining a clear balance of rights, responsibilities and obligations for recipients will likely require further detailed rules.

The next step involves drafting implementation regulations, since the law itself sets out broad principles. Many provisions need clearer definitions. The immediate priority, therefore, is for the relevant departments to formulate detailed implementation rules for the law on social assistance.

Another priority is strengthening training at the grassroots level. The quality of frontline personnel determines the quality of social assistance work. Conditions and challenges vary widely across regions, and the capabilities of local staff members also differ considerably.