China's 'longevity city' registers record number of centenarians

NANJING -- Rugao, a city in East China's Jiangsu province renowned for the longevity of its residents, has registered a record number of 525 centenarians, according to local authorities.

As of Jan 1, 2021, the city had 16 centenarians aged 105 or above, among its total population of about 1.4 million, with the oldest being 109 years old, the Rugao municipal bureau of civil affairs said.

Healthy eating and sleeping habits, as well as a favorable environment, are believed to have contributed to longevity in Rugao.

The municipal authorities attach great importance to elderly care services and have been working to upgrade the city's home- and community-based care facilities for senior citizens in recent years.

China has witnessed a rise in people's average life expectancy over the years, increasing from 76.34 years in 2015 to 77.3 years in 2019, according to statistics from the National Health Commission.