The Civil Affairs Ministry vowed to establish a child welfare system and provide basic living allowances for disabled children, in a move welcomed as an historic step forward by the 21st Century Business Herald (excerpts below).

Children have long been regarded as a "private asset" of parents and families. This approach takes for granted that parents can physically punish their children to "educate" them.

However, a series of child abuse cases have highlighted the need for authorities to be more active in child welfare.

It is necessary for civil affairs authorities to persuade lawmakers to put child welfare under the supervision of the law.

For children of migrant workers, the left-behind children, the government should tilt more financial support toward their education and mobilize more social resources to take care of them.