Children who do not have a Beijing hukou, residency permit, will receive free physical examinations throughout 2011, said Mao Yu, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau.

Offering free health check-ups to children under six years old was recently listed in the basic public health service project. Beijing began to provide free medical examinations to children with hukou in June 2009, but it will now spread the beneficiary group to all children.

Children aged 0 to 6 are in the fastest period of growth, said Mao. Regular examinations can help understand a child's health condition or abnormal situations which can be treated in a timely manner.

Free regular check-ups include oral examination, auditory and visual tests, blood and intelligence screening.