KMT veterans to enjoy social welfare in Nanjing

Former Kuomintang (KMT) soldiers who fought Japanese aggressors about 70 years ago will be included in the social security system in the eastern city of Nanjing, local authorities said Thursday.

There are currently 72 KMT veterans registered in Nanjing, with an average age of more than 90 years old, according to the municipal civil affairs department.

Those living in the countryside or unemployed in the city with poor living conditions will be granted a living allowance of 2,000 yuan (325 U.S. dollars) every month, according to the department.

The allowance will be adjusted as the local economy develops, it said.

They are also entitled to the same social security as other citizens, it said.

Nanjing is capital of Jiangsu Province and former national capital. The Chinese government at the time moved the capital to Chongqing in November 1937 before Nanjing was occupied by the Japanese in December.

Many KMT soldiers who made great contributions during World War II now live with difficulty due to historical and political reasons.

During the War of Liberation (1946-1949), the KMT forces were defeated by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), led by the Communist Party of China. Some KMT soldiers went to Taiwan after the war, but many others stayed on the mainland.

The Regulation on Pensions and Preferential Treatment for Servicemen, enacted in 2004 and revised in 2011, did not mention former KMT soldiers who did not join the PLA.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs issued a statement in July 2013 that suggested local governments better attend to the needs of KMT veterans. It reiterated that the mainland will guarantee social welfare for the soldiers and encouraged NGOs to provide aid.