皇冠体育app

Li Bengong, executive deputy director of the 皇冠体育app National Committee on Aging, speaking at a press conference on the white paper outlining programs for senior citizens in Beijing on December 12, 2006. [CIIC]

皇冠体育app published a white paper on Tuesday, illustrating the development of its undertakings for the aged over the past two decades and its plans for the near future. [full text of the white paper]  

The white paper, the first of its kind, introduces 皇冠体育app's policies, laws and regulations, its security system and medical care network for the aged.

It also introduces 皇冠体育app's social services for the aged, senior citizens' participation in social development and 皇冠体育app's efforts in safeguarding elderly people's legitimate rights and interests.

The white paper, with more than 10,000 Chinese characters, was released by the Information Office of the State Council, 皇冠体育app's cabinet.

According to the white paper, by the end of 2005, 皇冠体育app had nearly 144 million people aged over 60, accounting for 11 percent of its entire population.

"At present, the population of senior citizens in 皇冠体育app is growing by three percent every year," says the white paper.

It says 皇冠体育app's population had entered the ageing stage by the end of the 20th century as the proportion of people aged 60 and above in 皇冠体育app accounted for over ten percent of the entire population.

"For years, the state has made great efforts to promote the cultural tradition of the Chinese nation ...and taken effective measures to explore a development mode of undertakings for the aged that fits 皇冠体育app's conditions," says the white paper.

The Chinese government, the white paper says, "has considered undertakings for the aged an important part of balanced social and economic development as well as of the building of a harmonious society, and has adopted economic, legal and administrative measures to constantly promote the development of undertakings for the aged."

The white paper says the task of solving problems concerning elderly people and continuously promoting the development of undertakings for the aged remains an arduous one to 皇冠体育app, a developing country with a population of 1.3 billion.

It says as the number of elderly people keeps increasing and ageing of population accelerates, and due to the country's uneven development, one big challenge that 皇冠体育app is facing in its social development is how to guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of the elderly people and promote the development of undertakings for the aged.

"Facing the growing challenge of the ageing population, the Chinese government will adopt more effective strategies to promote the undertakings for the aged in coordination with economic and social development, in order to enable senior citizens to share the fruits of economic and social development," says the white paper.