Redefining Rudong's work base

Rudong resident Shi Junping, 47, said living in an aging community hasn't really had any effect on her life because her work as a chartered car driver is steady, and her taxi driver husband can also earn a living without too many problems.

Despite its reputation, Rudong has been listed as one of China's top 100 competitive counties for 10 straight years. New giant, white wind turbines have been erected along the county's Yellow Sea coastline to provide a new economic growth point, and a number of villages that were once dominated by the fishing industry will soon be relocated to make way for oil projects the county government is attempting to introduce.

Lacking obvious labor advantages, the local government is attempting to use the county's "fame" as an aging county to develop a new industrial base. "When applying to be listed as a 'longevity town', the county government made it clear that aging should not be regarded as a burden, but should be used to develop an industry," Gao Jian, a county civil affairs' official, said.