Aging Policies in China:
From “Rights Protection” to “Integrated Development”

Jian SONG
Center for Population and Development Studies
Renmin University of China
songjian@ruc.edu.cn
1Active Aging
 allows people to realize their potential forphysical, social, and mental wellbeing
throughout the life course and to participate
in society according to their needs, desires andcapacities,
 while providing them with adequate
protection, security and care when theyrequire assistance.
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Active Aging Polices
 To respect the natural law of human beings withthe advancement of age and help people of allages to live in a free and comfortable condition
that fits them most; To survey the whole process of humandevelopment over the life course and help people
to deter or reduce side effects of aging.

3Preliminary Policy and Legal
Framework in China
The Law on the Protection of the Rights andInterests of Elderly People

Principle
Policies
Aging Policies
in China

The 12th Five-Year Plan for the Developmentof China’s Undertakings for the Aged
The Plan on Construction of Social Support
Service System for the Elderly (2011-2015)
Administrative regulations

OtherPolicies

Local regulationsDepartmental rules and documents at
various levels

4Goal and Contents of Aging
Policies in China
old-agesecurity

financialsupportdaily
assistancespiritual
comfortGoal:
to satisfy
various needs ofthe elderly

PolicyContents

medical caresecurity
old-ageservicesocialparticipation

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Basic Old-age Security System
 Institutionally achieved full coverage of all
population groups and helped to lessen thefamilies’ financial burden.
 Basic pensions of enterprise retirees on continuous rise; Minimum living-standard security system established
for the poor; “The five guarantees (food, clothing, medical care,housing and burial expenses)”for eligible rural seniors;
 Special subsidies for the seniors of family-planningfamilies.
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Medical Care Security System
Major component:
basic medical security

Supplements:
medical insurance &commercial health insurance

MedicalSecurity
System

Rural

Urban

Basic medical
insurance for
employees

Basic medicalinsurance forurban
residents

New-styleruralcooperative
medical care7Medical Care Security System(cont.)
Effective safeguard of the elderly’s rights
to basic medical and health services
despite his/her locality;

III

III

Steady quality improvement ofprofessional services from concerned
institutions at all levels;
Prevention and control of chronic diseases,
medical and health care for disabledseniors and mental health of the elderly.

Old-age Service System
 To enhance self-reliance of seniors and promote
their life quality; Based on aging at home, supplemented bycommunity services and supported by socialorganizations.
 construction of public and home environments : taking
physiological features of the elderly into account; construction of old-age service system: beds for old-age
support, professional old-age nursing institutions, old-age
service teams.
9Social Participation of the Elderly To create conditions to fully utilize expertise of the elderly.
Old-ageactivity
centers orstations
Professional
old-ageorganizations

Nongovernmentalorganizations
Toencourage
active socialparticipation
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Conclusion
 Aging policies in China are putting more emphasis on
integrated development of the elderly, in addition to theirrights protection.
 For different cohorts of older people, dynamic policy
design are needed.
 Among present-day older people:
 the younger old are encouraged to participate in thesociety and spend their third age actively and happily; the older old are able to live longer time
independently in their own house.
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