BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- On a summer morning in Beijing's Chaoyang District, a group of seniors in their sixties were enthusiastically shooting hoops on a community basketball court, cheering for every basket.

Nestled beside a railway, the court was once an overgrown, abandoned lot. Transformed and opened to the public for free last year, it has quickly become a beloved fitness hub. "Now, I can jog along the Tonghui River and then come here to shoot some hoops and build my upper-body strength," says 63-year-old Sun, a regular at the court.

Sun's story is being replicated nationwide. From abandoned wastelands to vibrant community spaces, the blossoming of pocket parks, mini sports courts, and neighborhood libraries across China signals a profound shift toward a more people-centered investment strategy.

The numbers bear this out. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), fiscal spending in the people's livelihood sector neared 100 trillion yuan (about 14.67 trillion U.S. dollars), accounting for over 70 percent of the national general public budget.

This year, the country's spending on education, social security and employment, healthcare, and housing is expected to exceed 12.4 trillion yuan, reaching the highest level in recent years at 41.3 percent of the national budget.

"Investing in physical assets is merely a means to an end; the ultimate goal is to benefit the people," said Yang Zhiyong, president of the Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences. He noted that aligning physical investments with public needs is key to maximizing fiscal efficiency and ensuring that the dividends of development are genuinely felt by the public.

ENHANCING LIVELIHOODS

"Investing in people" entails precisely addressing needs across the life cycle, using upgraded physical facilities to support human growth and ensure a secure life.

To nurture the next generation, Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has steadily increased investment in educational infrastructure.

The newly built school near the Xi'an East Railway Station, which opened in the autumn semester of 2025, features bright classrooms and smart libraries, providing local children with premium educational resources right on their doorstep.

Looking ahead to 2026, the city plans to build or expand seven kindergartens and primary and secondary schools, adding capacity for 15,000 more high school students.

At the other end of the age spectrum, targeted investments in eldercare are effectively stimulating social consumption and market participation.

At a community senior care center in Beijing's Haidian District, 78-year-old Li used a government-subsidized elderly care voucher via a smartphone mini-app to book an in-home bathing service.

According to Zhao Zhenzheng, a local official overseeing elderly care services, these government subsidies have prompted over 200 eldercare providers across the district to formally register as the first certified service providers under the elderly care subsidy program. "This has not only improved the quality of life for seniors but also injected vitality into the silver economy," Zhao said.

EMPOWERING TALENT

Investing in human capital is not just about social security; it is an endogenous driver for long-term economic growth. Today, the synergy between industrial projects and talent cultivation illustrates how investments in physical assets and in people reinforce each other.

In Huai'an, east China's Jiangsu Province, a massive steel cord manufacturing base with a peak annual capacity of 1.6 million tonnes is taking shape. Alongside it, a vocational training center allows trainees to practice computer numerical control and mechatronics skills in a hands-on workshop setting, ensuring a seamless transition from classroom to career.

Recognizing talent as the primary resource for high-quality development, China has launched comprehensive training initiatives focused on emerging sectors like the low-altitude economy, new energy vehicles, and artificial intelligence.

"The accumulation of human capital through investments in education and training is the true endogenous driving force that enhances total factor productivity and sustains long-term growth," said Huang Qunhui, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The concentration of talent is now driving technological upgrading, new projects, and capital deployment, playing a crucial role in expanding domestic demand and optimizing supply, Huang added.

ENRICHING MINDS

While material well-being is foundational, the ultimate goal of modernization is the comprehensive development of the individual. To this end, local governments are increasingly channeling funds into cultural enrichment, ensuring that development outcomes reach the grassroots level.

In a rural library in Nanchang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, farmers study high-yield rice cultivation techniques while children enjoy picture books. This year, the local government not only fully funded the renewal of rural library publications but also pioneered a reader-driven book procurement program that covers the cost of titles chosen by the public, ensuring that every yuan is spent in strict alignment with public preferences.

Similar pragmatic initiatives are unfolding nationwide: east China's Shandong Province is upgrading rural cultural squares and cinemas to improve community-level infrastructure, while the southwestern province of Sichuan has launched initiatives to bridge the "last mile" of public cultural services.

"Investment in human capital is not a short-term stimulus but a strategic cornerstone for China's continued development," noted Liu Ying, a researcher at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China. ■