China News Agency, Shanghai, November 7th, Question: In-depth | How to deal with the aging population in China?

　　Author Song Yusheng Lu Shaowei

　　"Aging is a common trend facing human society, and the international community needs to find a solution together." The fifth CIIE is being held in Shanghai, Ou Xiaoli, director of the Social Development Department of China's National Development and Reform Commission, said at the forum.

This is also the consensus of many experts and scholars.

　　The United Nations' World Population Prospects 2022 predicts that the proportion of the global population aged 65 and over will rise from 10% in 2022 to 16% in 2050.

　　"The world's population is ageing at an unprecedented rate," said Dean Keita, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund.

But she believes this generation of older adults is better educated, healthier and wealthier than ever.

"We should not view population ageing as just a problem, but rather recognize that older people can be both beneficiaries and active participants in sustainable development."

　　Zhang Yuxian, director of the Economic Forecasting Department of the State Information Center, said that population aging is an important trend in economic and social development, an important manifestation of the progress of human civilization, and China's basic national conditions for a long period of time in the future.

During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China will enter a stage of moderate aging, and the aging rate will exceed 20%; around 2035, it will enter a stage of severe aging, and the aging rate will exceed 30%; around 2050, the elderly population will be close to 500 million , accounting for about 36%, and the size and proportion of the elderly population have reached their peaks.

　　How to effectively deal with the aging of the population has become a "must-answer" in the process of China's economic development and modernization.

　　Wang Yiming, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, emphasized that China has elevated "actively responding to population aging" as a national strategy, and has formulated medium and long-term plans. Taking a series of countermeasures will create new opportunities for economic and social development.

　　According to Zhang Gang, deputy chief economist of General Technology Group, for the elderly, relevant parties should not only help solve their quality of life and quality of life, but also solve their spiritual needs.

This will also drive and form many important industries for the future silver economy.

　　Du Peng, vice president of Renmin University of China, believes that population aging does bring pressure to society, but challenges and opportunities coexist, and opportunities outweigh challenges.

　　In the process of social development and public governance, how the elderly participate and how to play a role is not only a challenge brought about by population aging, but also of great significance for resisting such challenges.

Du Peng, for example, pointed out that by 2050, among the elderly in China, there may be 85 million people with a college degree or above.

This not only brings about changes in the quality of the population, but also brings huge opportunities to the silver-haired economy.

　　Kang Jiating, UNFPA representative in China, also believes that over the past few decades, due to the investment in youth health, education and employment opportunities, a generation of better-educated, healthier and more economically independent older people has emerged. .

“We expect their numbers to grow in the future. The emerging needs of this generation of older adults present many opportunities for the exponential growth of the silver economy.”

　　She also noted that healthy ageing and a thriving silver economy require social investment strategies based on principles of social equity and inclusion to ensure that all groups benefit from quality education, healthcare and decent work.

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