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In 2021, the average life expectancy in China made a historic leap, reaching 78.2 years, reports China daily.

The annual birth rate, on the contrary, has been declining for decades, which has affected the number of elderly people in the country.

The aging trend has sparked a debate about whether a sharp increase in China's elderly population will lead to a depletion of public finances, an increase in the burden on the workforce and, ultimately, a halt in economic growth in the coming years.

On "two sessions" this year — the largest annual political event in the country — experts and political advisers said that aging should not just be seen as a threat to society.

Thus, the Celestial Empire is able to maintain the pace of development with a relatively large number of healthy people over the age of 60 and constant efforts to improve the level of education and the quality of the workforce.

Experts also voiced several ways to solve long-term problems that may arise as a result of the rapid aging of society. In particular, the gradual increase in the retirement age, the reform of the pension system and the expansion of care services for the elderly.

According to forecasts, from 2021 to 2030, the number of elderly people will increase by at least 13 million people per year, which is much higher than the annual figure of 7.4 million people registered in the period from 2016 to 2020.

ORIENT news

Photo: chinadaily.com.cn