On the morning of February 10, President Xi Jinping visited a community canteen for seniors in Beijing's Xinjiekou subdistrict, where he checked the day's menu and prices and asked about meal services for seniors.

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visits a community canteen for seniors in Xicheng District of Beijing, capital of China, Feb 10, 2026. Xi visited primary-level officials and residents in Beijing during a two-day inspection tour from Monday to Tuesday. (Photo: Xinhua)

The community canteen is usually a government-subsidized canteen that aims to bring affordability and convenience to senior citizens in urban neighborhoods and villages around China.

"Can it operate sustainably?" Over the years, during inspection tours across the country, Xi has visited many community canteens. While acknowledging their convenience and benefits to residents, he has repeatedly emphasized the importance of sustainability.

"We serve not only seniors and individuals engaged in new forms of employment, but also many nearby residents. Having meals here is convenient and affordable, which allows us to operate on a break-even basis with a small margin," the restaurant manager told Xi.

(Compiled by Sun Tianren, Zhu Yurou and intern Zhang Jingxuan)