Age of challenges

As we mark the 10th anniversary of China's entry into an aging society with elderly people (above 60) being 10 percent of its population, here is one more fact that the government cannot ignore: 8 million people, instead of little over 3 million 10 years ago, will touch 60 every year.

As a result, the number of people who are too old to take care of themselves is also rapidly increasing. Investigations show that the number of empty-nest families (homes with only old aged couples) accounts for nearly 50 percent of all urban families on average, and the percentage of such families in rural areas exceeds 40 percent.

The central and local governments must make plans to meet the various needs that can help take good care of the elderly. The government, at the central and local level, has done a great deal to help the aged spend their remaining years in reasonable comfort with options for activities. For example, more than 36,000 "college"-type centers of education and recreation for seniors have been set up nationwide to meet the needs of those who want to educate themselves further; and, the number enrolled in these centers is more than 4 million.