Our greatest wish is to see children grow up healthy and happy. Kunshan adheres to the philosophy of “seeing the world from a one-meter height,” taking children’s needs as the foundation of its work and measuring success by the quality of children’s growth. Through tangible projects, visible actions, and perceptible services, Kunshan is fully committed to creating a safe, engaging, inclusive, equal, and innovative environment for children to thrive.

1. Child-Friendly Spaces

Kunshan is laying a strong foundation for child-friendly spaces. The city has developed the Kunshan Child-Friendly City Development Plan, setting out eight key tasks and 30 specific initiatives. To systematically advance these goals, an annual task breakdown and timeline were established, ensuring that each target is met effectively. In particular, to expedite the construction of 84 child-friendly spaces this year, the city allocated 2.6 million RMB in subsidies, galvanizing support from various sectors to create safe and welcoming environments for children.

Since the beginning of the year, through the Kun Xiaowei · Shared Lucheng initiative, Kunshan has enhanced spaces for children by renovating older neighborhoods, expanding city parks, and developing child-friendly hospitals and safe campuses. So far, the city has completed road upgrades around nine schools, established 13 child-friendly parks, 15 child-friendly hospitals, 17 child-friendly communities, and 51 children’s reading spaces, along with six playgrounds covering a total area of 2,488 square meters. Ahead of Children’s Day, the city launched a Kunshan Child-Friendly Joy Map on the Luchengtong App, transforming neighborhoods, countryside areas, factories, communities, and parks into places where children can learn, create, and grow.

2. Child-Friendly Services

Kunshan is focusing on creating a child-friendly foundation of happiness by addressing areas like quality early childhood education and enriched learning experiences. The city has developed the “Warmth +1°C” civic project for several years, with seven initiatives in 2024 specifically aimed at supporting children, including the Light of Hope project for vulnerable groups and the Youth Health and Wellness Project. Kunshan has designed 19 unique study tour routes that combine sightseeing, learning, interactive activities, and dining, creating an engaging environment for young learners.

With a “public service + volunteerism” and “education + childcare” model, the city deployed 1,188 teachers to organize 187 summer childcare programs, helping working parents with childcare while providing children with meaningful guidance, learning support, and nurturing environments over the holidays. Kunshan also launched 30 custom student bus routes and the child-friendly Route 965, providing free rides for 208,000 students with student cards, creating a safer, more accessible public transport system for children.

In addition, Kunshan established a summer-themed metro station with spaces for parent-child reading, student study areas, and a waiting area for parents. The “Colorful Summer” initiative organized 596 activities, offering children a “cultural feast” of diverse and enjoyable summer experiences. Kunshan has also hosted the popular “Starlit Sky” parent-child reading program for multiple years, combining reading with travel, cultural heritage, and other activities, establishing Kunshan as a “City of Readers.”

3. Growing Up Together

Kunshan is actively working to build a child-friendly social environment by addressing key challenges. As the only county-level city in China selected for the nationwide pilot program, Kunshan launched the Child Development initiative in partnership with the All-China Women’s Federation and UNICEF. This project has cultivated a team of educators with expertise in child protection and family education, establishing a robust foundation for grassroots child protection.

Kunshan also established the nation’s first county-level Child Injury Prevention and Control Center, hosting a series of activities under the theme “Injury-Free Childhood, Hand-in-Hand Towards the Future.” The city has issued the Kunshan High-Quality Child Care and Protection Implementation Plan, aiming to provide immediate, compassionate support for vulnerable children. Key initiatives include the Light of Hope and Growing Together projects, which achieved visit rates over 177% and service rates exceeding 503% in the first half of the year. Additionally, the Helping You Return mental health support program recorded visit rates over 133% and service rates above 215%, while the Helping You Sail school social work project directly served approximately 15,000 students.

Kunshan launched the “First Lesson in Law” program across 148 schools to raise legal awareness among students and strengthened supervision of food safety, amusement facilities, child-related products, online advertising targeting minors, and children’s product quality, conducting over 3,000 inspections in the first half of the year. To enhance safety education, the city also held over ten child-centered activities featuring engaging formats, ensuring a secure, supportive environment for children’s growth.

4. Building Bonds of Friendship

Kunshan is focusing on fostering child-friendly connections, particularly with Artux in Xinjiang, its designated partner region. Committed to treating the children of Artux as their own, Kunshan has increased government support and mobilized social resources to improve education and healthcare for these children. Efforts have also been made to enhance communication between children in both regions, creating a bridge of friendship and cultural exchange. Kunshan has built a vibrant playground for rural children in Artux, adding color to their childhood. In the Hand-in-Hand, Heart-to-Heart summer camp, children from Artux and Kunshan attended classes together, participated in community activities, toured media outlets, and learned about Kunqu opera, crafting a beautiful picture of unity and shared growth.

Kunshan is also strengthening its ties with Taiwan to foster a sense of connection among children. With over 5,900 Taiwanese-funded enterprises in Kunshan, around 10,000 Taiwanese residents, and nearly 4,000 Taiwanese children studying in Kunshan, the city provides a supportive environment for cultural exchange. Events such as cross-strait summer camps, sports tournaments, and cultural performances allow children from Taiwan and Kunshan to connect and bond, enhancing mutual understanding and camaraderie. Through small, focused activities, Kunshan has expanded its engagement channels, inviting children from Taiwan to visit and participate in the city’s cultural experiences. Events like the Cross-Strait Culture Exchange Month, frisbee tournaments, interschool exchanges, green cycling tours, traditional culture experiences, and art exhibits have been warmly received by children and families from both communities. Kunshan has also organized public school enrollment consultations, helping 159 Taiwanese children enroll in local public schools.

In the Huadu community, a model of cross-strait integration, activities centered on the theme Blossoming Across the Straits, United in Nurturing Children have shaped the Huadu Heartfelt Kunshan-Taiwan Childhood brand. This program fosters a strong sense of belonging and community for Taiwanese children in Kunshan.

5. Children’s Development and Engagement

Kunshan is prioritizing children’s active participation in social governance by expanding channels for them to contribute to the city’s child-friendly development. The city established the “Little Kunyu Children’s Observation Group,” allowing young members to partner with deputies of the local People’s Congress and CPPCC members during Kunshan’s “Two Sessions” to discuss 15 topics, including Kunqu opera preservation, school nutrition, child-friendly transportation, and local educational trips. This initiative encourages children to act as “little owners” of the city and engage meaningfully in public affairs. Observation groups are also being formed in districts and communities, where “One-Meter Message Boards” allow children to raise local issues and propose solutions. In developing child-friendly hospitals, Kunshan’s Health Commission involved over 20 children, who provided valuable feedback, such as adding more picture books, using playful visuals for hygiene practices, and improving waiting room comfort. Hospitals have actively implemented many of these suggestions.

Kunshan is also highlighting the role of child-friendly enterprises, recognizing that industry can play a vital part in the city’s child-friendly mission. Companies such as Goodbaby, True Color Stationery, and Nissei Ice Cream have enthusiastically supported child-friendly initiatives, incorporating compassionate design into products and services. To ease summer childcare challenges for young employees, 12 companies, including Dingxin Electronics and UMC Precision, along with business hubs like Fuyuan Neighborhood and Yangcheng Lake Science Park, now offer summer programs that provide a safe, enriching environment for children. Led by Daifei Chocolate, the “Chocohappy Learn & Play” initiative organizes industrial tours, cultural experiences, and fun school activities, fostering a child-centered approach that strengthens children’s engagement and support.

Through a collective commitment to children’s needs and voices, Kunshan continues to build a diverse, high-quality child-friendly ecosystem where children’s growth and well-being are at the heart of the city’s development.

Kunshan will continue to uphold a commitment to responsibility toward children, the community, and the future, striving to ensure the effective implementation of every child-centered initiative. By fostering a safe, nurturing, and welcoming environment, the city aims to continuously enhance children’s sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. Kunshan is dedicated to creating a warm, resilient, and deeply enriching urban space where children can thrive.