Beijingners' average longevity tops in China, according to a recent official report.

Beijing International Institute for Urban Development recently published China's first "Report on Chinese urban quality of life," which shows the average longevity of Beijing residents to be 79.6, tops in the country, and having increased 26.8 years over the figure of 52.8 during the infancy of the People's Republic of China.

It was learned that average longevity is a unified reflection of the level of health of a city's total population. This figure can reflect social and economic progress as well as the development of the level of medical care, on top of indirectly reflecting the improvement in the quality of life and the people's nutritional conditions.

Beijing International Institute for Urban Development chief Professor Lian Yuming said to reporters during an interview that the extension of longevity of Beijing residents are principally due to two reasons.

One is Beijing's medical facilities have neared internationally advanced levels. Two is that Beijing has broadly advanced fundamental retirement, health care and industrial accident benefits and coverage and provided important security for the health of Beijing residents.

The continual rise in incomes for Beijing residents directly pushed up the quality of their lives. Improvement in environment has also provided a good living environment for all the residents.

(Chinanews.cn September 26, 2005)