BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs Monday signed agreements with six enterprises to expand the usage of preferential-treatment cards for veterans and other entitled groups.

The enterprises include China UnionPay, PetroChina, and China Post, with five of the agreements to take effect from April 8, and the other one from June 1, said the ministry.

Once the agreements take effect, the enterprises will provide different degrees of preferential and exclusive priority services for the cardholders based on their contribution and the enterprises' respective domains.

The agreements aim to enhance the cardholders' senses of gain and honor, said the ministry.

Application for the preferential cards started on Dec. 14, 2021, with the first batch of the cards under production and soon to be handed to applicants.

The MVA welcomes more social organizations and enterprises to join hands with the ministry to expand and improve the services for veterans and other entitled groups, said Qian Feng, deputy head of the ministry.