Increasing life expectancy has long been a goal the human race keeps seeking. Now it is written into the economic and social development plan of an East China city.

The city government of Xinyu in Jiangxi Province has worked out a decision to expand local people's average life expectancy to 78 years in 2015 from the 76.4 years in 2010.

The city plans to realize its goal through improving the environment, living standard, social security and public services. It is the first time that such a goal has been included in the local government's Five-Year Plan (2011-15), Li Anze, secretary of Xinyu CPC committee, said Wednesday.

The city with a population of over 1.1 million also targets a further longevity increase of two years to 80 years during the period from 2018 to 2020. "As people's living standard gets better and they no longer need to worry about food and clothes, living a long, healthy and happy life means more to them than ever," Li said.

Lin Yu, head of the city's development and reform commission, said that longevity depends on the quality of water and air, the safety of food and medicine, as well as a sound social security system.

According to Li Anze, Xinyu had mulled over the subject after experts' research and analysis of extending people's life expectancy to 80 years in eight to 10 years.

The city had shut down more than 370 polluting plants since last year and the quality of the drinking water was improving, said Zou Jianfu, head of the city's environmental protection bureau. (Source: Global Times)