BEIJING - The Chinese government spent over 245 billion yuan (about $38 billion) on health care in the first half of this year, according to a report submitted to China's top legislature on Thursday.

The government's expenditures on health care during the period represented a sharp increase of 61.4 percent year-on-year.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, is convening in Beijing for a three-day legislative session. Finance Minister Xie Xuren spoke to the committee about the implementation of the government's health care budget.

According to Xie's report, the central government had spent 76 billion yuan on improvements to the country's new rural cooperative medical system, as well as its urban basic medical insurance system

The per capita medical treatment allowance from government fiscal assistance increased from 120 yuan to 200 yuan, Xie said.

The central government also spent 28.7 billion yuan to improve local health care infrastructure and facilities and narrow the gap of health care services during the first half of this year.

Xie said China's basic medical care system for urban and rural residents currently covers 1.28 billion people, or more than 90 percent of the country's total population.