BIZCHINA / Five-Year Programme
5-year program to cope with pressures of aging society
By Mo Honge (Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-09-22 13:50
China plans to boost social welfare and medical services for its senior
citizens as the country starts to feel the pressure from its huge elderly
population.
The national program on the aging population during the 11th Five-Year
Plan period (2006-2010) was issued by the China National Committee on
Aging under the approval of the State Council Thursday.
Li Bengong, a senior official with the committee, said that although
welfare payments and medical subsidies for retired people had been
significantly increased over the past five years, demand had increased
even more.
(Xinhua File Photo)
China's elderly population is expected to hit 174 million, or 12.78
percent of its entire population, by 2010, a big increase from the
current figure of 143 million, the program predicted.
According to the program, China will integrate more seniors in poor areas
into the rural cooperative medical care system and the old-age pension
system, and is committed to solving problems for retired people with
financial difficulties.
The pressure of the aging population in rural areas is very noticeable.
About 85.57 million old people in rural areas, 65.82 percent of the
country's total, do not benefit from the country's social welfare system,
pensions and adequate medical care.
China plans to increase the number of beds in homes for the elderly by
800,000 in the cities and by 2.2 million in rural areas in the next five
years, the program said.
At present, China has 380,000 homes for the elderly with 1.2 million
beds. This means that 1,000 elderly people compete for 8.6 beds, far less
than the 50 to 70 beds of developed countries.
The program also asks government at various levels to increase financial
support for infrastructure projects for elderly people, as well as
cultural and educational activities.
By 2010, 10,000 more old people's colleges and schools will be built.
The country will, as well, encourage domestic private enterprises and
foreign capital to invest in services for the elderly so as to optimize
and diversify its investment structure.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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