Private and diverse inputs for the elderly should be promoted

SPEAKING TO THE MEDIA ON WEDNESDAY on the sidelines of the fifth plenary session of the 12th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, Minister of Civil Affairs Huang Shuxian said that his ministry will further promote the domestic industry on the care for the elderly by constructing more old people's homes and developing community services for them. Southern Metropolis Daily comments:

Huang's remarks highlight the correct solution to the problem of caring for the elderly in our aging society. According to the white paper on China's care for the elderly published in 2016, the population aged 60 and above in China reached 222 million by the end of 2015, accounting for 16.1 percent of the total population. It is a huge challenge to provide enough care for all these senior citizens.

To make things worse, China has entered an aging society before it has accumulated the necessary funds to support good living conditions for everybody. Moreover, the rapid pace of urbanization means many senior citizens have been left behind in "empty nests" while their children live and work in cities far away.