BEIJING - China's central government on Wednesday issued a white paper on the country's medical and health services, noting that medical and health care systems covering both urban and rural residents have taken shape.

The white paper, "Medical and Health Services in China", was released by the Information Office of the State Council, or China's Cabinet, saying that China has kept advancing the reform of its health care system to ensure that every resident has access to safe, effective, convenient and affordable services.

The paper revealed that the health of the Chinese people is now among the top in developing countries with an overall life expectancy of 74.8 years in 2010, 72.4 years for males and 77.4 years for females.

The mortality rate of children under five has kept dropping from 34.9 per thousand in 2002 to 15.6 per thousand in 2011, attaining ahead of schedule the UN Millennium Development Goal in this regard, the white paper said.

The infant mortality rate had went down from 29.2 per thousand in 2002 to 12.1 per thousand in 2011, it said.