More than 30,000 volunteer service centers have been established in different neighborhoods of the country. Information on all volunteers is available online and neighborhoods may choose the ideal person according to their own needs, said Zhang.

Volunteers first appeared in China in 1993 when the Central Committee of the China Communist Youth League advocated voluntary acts among young people. Today, many middle-aged and senior people have followed suit.

So far, volunteers have done 4.5 billion hours of voluntary service in the country.

China has introduced a system of registration among volunteers and a system to record the time of voluntary service as a way to improve administration over volunteers in the country.

Volunteers will receive free services themselves equal to amount of time they have recorded if they ever have the need, according to Zhang.

(Xinhua News Agency May 27, 2003)