More than 700,000 vagrants and beggars in Chinese cities received government assistance last year, but the aid has failed to reach all of China's homeless population, a senior official from the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on Thursday.

Around 100,000 children also received help last year from the country's 1,100 relief stations and 130 relief centers for children, said Li Liguo, vice minister of Civil Affairs.

Li did not give the specific number of homeless people, but promised to help more vagrants and beggars this year.

Li said the government would improve the relief station system based on last year's experience, and would continue to offer help to urban vagrants and beggars this year.

"Instead of only helping those who come to relief stations themselves, we will take the initiative to offer help to all those in need this year," Li said.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs would improve the relief station facilities this year, and would set up more branch stations in downtown areas where vagrants and beggars tend to congregate.

The ministry would also lend more support to non-governmental organizations that provide help to the vagrant population, and would raise public awareness about the location and services of relief stations and relevant laws and regulations, according to Li.

"It is impossible to completely get rid of vagrants and beggars in urban areas, but we are improving the relief station system and narrowing regional differences to reduce the number of homeless people," Li said.

However, many of vagrants and beggars refused government help for various reasons.

"A number of those refusing help are professional beggars, including some who even kidnap children from remote rural areas and force them to gain sympathy and beg for money," said Li.

(Xinhua News Agency January 11, 2007)