Beijing opens door to foreign private nursing home operators

Beijing will further open its elderly care market up to private institutions which are expected to run at least 50 percent of beds for the elderly by 2020, the municipal government predicted in a recent guideline.

Foreign investors are being encouraged to set up for-profit nursing homes, and foreigners who run not-for-profit nursing homes will enjoy the same preferential policy as Chinese investors.

People who run nursing home chains can also register through the more convenient "green channel", while investors from outside Beijing will get the same treatment as local investors when they launch elderly care projects.

The municipality will also support private operators by purchasing their services, providing facilities for free, offering subsidies and charging the same utility rates at nursing homes as households.

The city's six major districts, namely Dongcheng, Xicheng, Haidian, Chaoyang, Fengtai and Shijingshan, will focus on care, education, information technology and financial services for elderly people.

The flat areas in suburban Beijing (outside the six major districts) will prioritize nursing homes and accommodation for senior citizens, while the mountainous areas in suburban Beijing will focus on recreation and tourism for elderly people.