China issues guidance for basic elderly care system by 2025

China has issued guidance to all provinces to build a basic elderly care system by 2025, state-run Xinhua news agency said on Sunday, in the latest step to prevent a demographic crisis.

The ruling Communist Party has mobilised resources to ensure that more vulnerable age groups are cared for as society ages. In 2020, citizens aged 65 and above accounted for 13.5% of the Chinese population, compared to 8.87% registered in 2010.

"Promoting the construction of the basic elderly care service system is an important task for implementing the national strategy of actively responding to population ageing and achieving equalisation of basic public services," Xinhua said.

It said the guidelines require all provinces to implement a list of basic elderly care services, based on factors such as economic and social development level and financial situation.