Women may be able to work until 60

Local lawmakers in Beijing remained divided on the retirement age for women officials and top professionals during the first review yesterday of a local regulation.

"Forcing a number of top women professionals to retire and stay at home above 55 years old is a huge loss of talent, especially in medical and education sectors," said Lu Zhaofeng, president of Capital Medical University and a member of the standing committee of the 13th Beijing municipal people's congress.

"Without them, some research institutions might just collapse," Lu said during a panel discussion of the 11th session of the committee on a draft Beijing implementation measures of the Law on the Protection of Rights and Interests of Women.