Banding together to help homeless people in the Yangtze River Delta region

Authorities from the provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Delta region gathered in Shanghai on Friday for a conference that discussed ways of helping the needy people in the region.

The conference, which was held as part of the preparatory efforts for the inaugural China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November, was attended by nearly 100 aid institutions from Shanghai and the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui.

During the event, representatives shared their experiences in helping homeless people find their loved ones and explored ways of setting up a regional system that can provide aid.

Shanghai provides assistance to around 20,000 vagrants and beggars every year. It presently partners 46 aid institutions in 15 regions, including the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shandong, Hainan, and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to help homeless people locate their family members.