By the end of 2005, there were close to 144 million people over
the age of 60 in China, accounting for 11 percent of its entire
population.
Due to the country's uneven development, one big challenge now
facing China 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.
On December 12, the State Council Information Office published a
white paper entitled The Development of China's Undertakings for
the Aged, giving a detailed account of what the Chinese government
has done in exploring a development mode of undertakings for the
aged. The full text of the document follows:
The Development of China's Undertakings
for the Aged
Preface
I. State Mechanism of Undertakings for the
Aged
II. Old-age Security System
III. Health and Medical Care for the Aged
IV. Social Services for an Ageing Society
V. Cultural Education for the Aged
VI. Participation in Social Development
VII. Safeguarding Elderly People's Legitimate Rights
and Interests
Preface
At the end of the 20th century, the proportion of people aged 60
and above in China accounted for over ten percent of the entire
population, and thus, according to the generally acknowledged
international standard, the age structure of Chinese population has
entered the ageing stage. The ageing of China's population
accelerated in the first years of the new century. By the end of
2005, there were close to 144 million people over the age of 60 in
China, accounting for 11 percent of its entire population.
China is the biggest developing country in the world. As the
number of elderly people keeps increasing and ageing of population
accelerates, and due to the country's uneven development, one big
challenge facing China 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.
The Chinese government has always cared for and paid attention
to undertakings for the aged. For years, the state has made great
efforts to promote the cultural tradition of the Chinese nation
that elderly people are respected and provided for; and taken
effective measures to explore a development mode of undertakings
for the aged that suits China's conditions. Especially in recent
years, the Chinese government has implemented the outlook of
scientific development in an all-round way and positively meet the
challenge posed by the ageing of the population. It 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.
I. State Mechanism of Undertakings for
the Aged
China's goals for the development of undertakings for the aged
can be described as follows: All elderly people are to be provided
for and enjoy proper medical care. They are to be given
opportunities to pass on their experience as well as to learn new
things. They should be given the opportunity to do what they can
for the society, while enjoying their later years. In recent years,
the Chinese government has worked positively toward these goals. It
has strengthened formulation of laws, regulations and policies
regarding elderly people, worked out development plans for
undertakings for the aged, perfected the work system for care of
the elderly, encouraged the extensive involvement of the whole
society in efforts to care for the aged, and conducted
international exchanges and cooperation in this regard.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949,
the state has promulgated a number of laws, regulations and
policies with regard to elderly people, covering such areas as
social security, welfare, services, hygiene, culture, education and
sports, as well as the protection of the rights and interests of
elderly people and related industries. Over the past 20 years or
so, the National People's Congress and its Standing Committee, the
State Council, and departments concerned have promulgated some 200
laws, regulations and policies concerning elderly people. A
framework of laws, regulations and policies in this regard has been
established with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China
as its foundation, and the Law of the People's Republic of China on
the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Elderly People as its
backbone, together with other relevant laws, administrative
regulations, local regulations, rules, regulations and related
policies formulated by departments of the State Council and local
governments.
The Chinese government has promulgated and implemented the
Seven-Year Development Outline on Work Concerning Elderly People in
China (1994-2000), Outline of the Tenth Five-Year Plan for the
Development of China's Undertakings for the Aged (2001-2005) and
Eleventh Five-Year Plan for the Development of China's Undertakings
for the Aged. Relevant departments under the State Council and
local people's governments at all levels have formulated action
plans for work concerning elderly people in their departments and
plans for the development of undertakings for the aged in their
localities.
The state has established a supervision and evaluation system to
conduct mid-term and final checks on the implementation of these
plans, to ensure that they are properly put into practice. It has
also established a system of statistical indices for undertakings
for the aged and a statistical work system which will provide basic
data to help the formulation of plans, supervision and evaluation
in this field. Since the 1980s, China has conducted three
nationwide surveys on the elderly population, which have provided
an important basis for scientific decision-making as regards
undertakings for the aged.
The State Council has established the China National Committee
on Ageing to plan, coordinate and guide this work nationwide. It
studies and formulates development strategies and major policies
for undertakings for the aged; coordinates the relevant departments
and guides them to implement the development plans for undertakings
for the aged; and leads, supervises and checks the work at local
levels.
A vice-premier of the State Council serves as the director of
the China National Committee on Ageing, which comprises 26
state-level departments, with one senior leader equivalent to a
vice-minister from each department as its representative. An office
under the committee is responsible for routine work. Committees on
ageing and related routine work offices have been established
throughout the country at the provincial (autonomous region,
municipality directly under the central government), prefectural
(city, league), county (city, district, banner) and township (urban
community) levels. Village and neighborhood committees have special
personnel engaged in undertakings for the aged. These committees
and offices have formed a complete network all the way from the
central government down to the grassroots level.
Through policies and public opinion guidance, the state is
actively engaged in creating a social environment for the
development of undertakings for the aged, leading the public at
large to be concerned with, support and participate in the
development of undertakings for the aged. It also uses the market
mechanism to guide and assist enterprises and public institutions
in providing various products and services for elderly people. It
has mobilized all social resources to help national and local
ageing-related societies in their fund-raising campaigns, to
organize large recreational and sports activities for the aged, to
conduct scientific research on ageing and develop education for
elderly people. In addition, the state encourages mass
organizations and volunteers throughout the country to enrich
elderly people's spiritual and cultural lives, and provide various
services for them.
The Chinese government dispatched high-level delegations to the
first and second world conferences on ageing held by the United
Nations, and other international and regional conferences on
ageing. It hosted the Follow-up Action Conference for the
Asia-Pacific Area of the UN's Second World Conference on Ageing, as
well as several international and regional conferences on ageing.
It took part in formulating and actively implemented international
ageing action plans and the Asia-Pacific region's ageing action
plans. China actively engages in multilateral and bilateral global
and regional exchanges and cooperation in the field of ageing. It
has joined six international organizations engaged in this work,
and has established business contacts with related organizations in
more than 90 countries and regions. It has worked on cooperative
projects with relevant agencies of the United Nations, the European
Union, and governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
of some countries in scientific research on ageing, helping elderly
people out of poverty and education for elderly people.
II. Old-age Security
System
China regards the establishment of an old-age security system
corresponding to the level of the country's socio-economic
development and ageing population as an important task and a
priority area in its undertakings for the aged. In recent years,
China has gradually established and improved an old-age security
system involving the government, society in general, the family and
individuals in its efforts to guarantee the basic life of elderly
people.
Establishing an Old-age Insurance System in Urban
Areas
In recent years, the Chinese government has gradually established a
uniform basic old-age insurance system in urban areas that covers
all the employees of different types of enterprises, persons
engaged in individual businesses of industry or commerce, and
people who are employed in a flexible manner. By the end of 2005,
the number of people participating in the basic old-age insurance
scheme across China had reached 175 million, 43.67 million of whom
were retirees. The disbursement of the old-age insurance fund was
404 billion yuan. The state has also set up an adjustment mechanism
of the basic pension, by which the state adjusts the level of the
basic pension of enterprise retirees in light of price fluctuations
and wage raises of enterprise employees. A retirement system for
staff members of government agencies and public institutions has
been established; these people get their pension either directly
from the central government finances or from their former employers
at the rate stipulated by the state.
The state raises funds for the basic old-age insurance through
multiple channels so as to increase the fund reserve needed for the
increasingly larger gray population and ensure that enterprises'
employees get their basic pension in full and on time. The state
has made greater efforts to ensure that payments are made to the
funds for the basic old-age insurance. By the end of 2005, the
balance of China's basic old-age insurance funds was 404.1 billion
yuan, and the total payment to the funds that year was 431.2
billion yuan. The government has also increased its financial input
into the fund. In 2005 some 65.1 billion yuan of the basic old-age
insurance fund came from government finances at different levels.
Besides, a nationwide social security fund has been established,
and by the end of 2005 the accumulated total was 201 billion
yuan.
The state is actively developing supplementary old-age
insurance. It guides and helps enterprises with adequate capacity
to set up annuities for employees. Both enterprises and employees
pay toward the annuity, so that funds are accumulated and managed
under individual accounts. By the end of 2005, a total of 24,000
enterprises all over China had set up enterprise annuities, with
9.24 million employees participating. The state also encourages the
development of old-age insurance attached to personal savings
deposits; and guarantees the livelihood of elderly people through
multiple channels.
Probing the Establishment of an Old-age Security System
in Rural Areas
About 60 percent of the elderly people in China live in rural
areas. Based on the socio-economic development level in rural
areas, the Chinese government emphasizes the role of the land and
the family in providing for people advanced in age. It has begun to
study the establishment of an old-age social security system in
rural areas in order to guarantee the basic livelihood of the
elderly people there.
Giving full play to the role of the land in ensuring elderly
people's livelihood and protecting farmers', including the elderly
people's, right to operate land contracted to them. The Law of the
People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and
Interests of Elderly People stipulates that an elderly person's
guardian is obligated to till the land contracted to the elderly
person he/she supports, and also to tend forestry and livestock
under the elderly person's charge. The revenue from these will go
to the elderly person as a guaranteed source for his/her basic
livelihood. The state encourages people to sign a "family support
agreement," which stipulates how the elderly person is to be
provided for and what level of livelihood he/she will have. Village
(neighborhood) committees or other relevant organizations will
supervise the implementation of the agreement in order to make sure
that elderly people receive the support they are entitled to. At
present, all families in rural areas are encouraged to sign a
"family support agreement." By the end of 2005, some 13 million
"family support agreements" had been signed.
Probing the establishment of an old-age social insurance system
in rural areas. By the end of 2005, about 1,900 counties in 31
provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities under the central
government had established their own old-age social insurance
systems. More than 54 million farmers were involved, with the
accumulated insurance funds reaching some 31 billion yuan. And more
than three million farmers now receive pensions. The total
disbursement of old-age insurance payments in 2005 was 2.13 billion
yuan.
China actively develops social security systems of various
forms, and priority is given to a special group of elderly people
to be covered in the social security system in rural areas. These
are elderly people who have lost the ability to work, who have no
source of income, and who have no legal guardians whatsoever to
support them, or their legal guardians do not have the ability to
support them. They enjoy the state's "five guarantees" system,
which means that their food, clothing, housing, medical care and
burial expenses are taken care of and subsidized by the
government.
At present, more than 4.6 million elderly people across the
country are benefiting from this government policy. For rural
couples who have followed the state family planning policy and
given birth to only one child (or two daughters), when they turn 60
they receive a bonus from a special fund made available by the
central and local governments. By the end of 2005, some 1.35
million people had received such a bonus.
The Chinese government pays attention to taking care of elderly
farmers whose land has been requisitioned in the process of
urbanization. By gradually including those farmers in the social
security system, the government makes sure that their basic
livelihood is permanently guaranteed. So far, 15 provinces,
autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central
government have drawn up social security policies regarding farmers
whose land has been requisitioned. About six million farmers are
now covered by social security schemes, and some 50 billion yuan
has been raised for this purpose.
Establishing Aid System for Impoverished Elderly
People
The Chinese government has included the alleviation and elimination
of poverty among elderly people in its anti-poverty strategy and
the plan for the development of undertakings for the aged. The
state has established a system that guarantees a minimum standard
of living for urban residents. Families with per-capita income
lower than what is needed to ensure the minimum standard of living
in their area are entitled to a special allowance according to the
standard.
In 2005, some 22.33 million impoverished urban residents
(including impoverished elderly people) received such allowances,
including almost all the people eligible for receiving the minimum
living allowance. In the rural areas, the state practices an aid
system by which families in most straitened circumstances receive a
fixed amount of aid regularly or other livelihood assistance when
the need arises. In regions where conditions are appropriate, the
state is actively probing the establishment of a system that
guarantees the minimum standard of living for rural residents.
At present, 8.65 million rural residents have been designated as
people in the most serious financial difficulties, and they receive
fixed aid from the government regularly. Some 9.85 million rural
residents are entitled to receive the minimum living allowance,
including poor elderly people who do not meet the requirements of
the "five guarantees" system. The state encourages areas with
adequate capacity to build homes for the aged, grant old-age
subsidies and, for those over the age of 80, a special allowance in
order to improve the lives of elderly people.
Meanwhile, local governments are actively organizing "helping
the poor through production" schemes. They are doing their best to
help poor people in their 60s who are generally healthy and strong
enough to work to engage in farming, aquaculture and processing
business, so that they can support themselves. China should give
full play to the role of all social sectors in helping poor elderly
people, encouraging NGOs like the old-age foundations to be found
all over the country, as well as enterprises, public institutions
and individuals to provide charitable and other assistance.
Various other forms of assistance are officially encouraged,
such as pairing up between a well-off family and a poor elderly
person so that the former may give more help to the latter, making
commitments to support poor elderly people, doing volunteer work
for them or paying visits to convey greetings to them. Therefore,
various types of assistance are provided to the poor elderly
people.
III. Health and Medical Care for the
Aged
Improving medical care and service for the aged and enhancing
their health are an important part of the efforts for the overall
improvement of the people's health and quality of life in an ageing
society. The Chinese government pays great attention to medical
care for senior citizens in both urban and rural areas by improving
medical and health services for them so as to meet their basic
medical needs and improve their mental and physical health.
Strengthening Medical Care for the Aged in Urban and
Rural Areas
The state has established a basic medical insurance system which
combines the unified planning program with individual accounts for
urban employees. Under this system, retirees do not have to pay the
basic insurance premiums, and they are given appropriate
consideration in the ratio of medical costs paid between what is
put into their individual accounts by their former employers and
the part they have to pay personally. The general practice now is
that large amounts for the medical costs for elderly people's
common and chronic diseases are covered by the funds under the
unified planning program, thus reducing the percentage paid by the
individual retirees. By the end of 2005, retirees covered by the
basic medical insurance in China had reached 37.61 million.
The state has taken supplementary medical care measures to
reduce the burden of medical costs for the elderly. The state has
set up a medical subsidy program for civil servants, and such
expenditure, including the part for retirees, is covered by the
state revenue. The government encourages the establishment of a
subsidy system to cover hefty medical costs throughout the country.
The fund collected from individual or enterprise payments will be
used to cover medical costs in excess of the maximum coverage under
the unified planning program for employees and retirees who suffer
from major, serious or chronic diseases.
Where conditions permit, enterprises have set up a supplementary
medical insurance system to cover medical costs in excess of the
maximum coverage under the basic medical insurance. The Chinese
government is exploring ways to set up a social medical aid system
in cities by pooling medical-aid funds from many channels, such as
state revenue allocations, public lottery welfare funds and public
donations, to subsidize the medical costs of people in dire need.
By the end of 2005, experimental work had been conducted in 1,119
counties (cities, districts, banners), providing medical aid in
1.633 million cases.
Experimental work began in 2003 to set up a new type of rural
cooperative medical system by pooling funds from individual
payments, collective support and government subsidies. By the end
of June 2006, such experimental work had been extended to 1,399
counties (cities, districts, banners), covering 495 million rural
dwellers. Up to 396 million farmers, and over 73 percent of the
elderly people in the experimental areas, had participated in this
new type of rural cooperative medical system. A total of 14.412
billion yuan had been paid in 282 million cases as subsidies to
farmers covered by the new type of rural cooperative medical
system.
The central government requires local governments to give
appropriate preferential treatment to people over the age of 70
participating in the new type of rural cooperative medical system
to meet their special needs. A rural medical aid system has been
established, with funds from government appropriations and public
donations to help the elderly covered by the "five guarantees"
system and poor farmers to join the new type of rural cooperative
medical system. The medical aid system provides certain subsidies
to poor farmers whose high medical costs for serious diseases have
affected their basic family life, and has to a certain degree
alleviated the basic medical burdens on the aged. So far the rural
medical aid system has been set up in all of the 31 provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central
government. In 2005, a total of 1.08 billion yuan of medical aid
subsidy was given to farmers in 11.12 million cases.
Special activities to provide the aged with dedicated medical
aid and healing aid are going full steam ahead in China. The
National Development Outline for the Disabled and the Action for
Helping Seniors to Regain Their Eyesight, conducted mostly in the
western areas, have given operations to about six million elderly
people in remote areas suffering from cataracts, and helped poor
and disabled seniors to recover or regain physical functions by
providing artificial limbs or hearing aids for free.
Developing Medical and Health Services for the
Aged
The state has strengthened the planning and leadership of medical
and health work for seniors. The Chinese government has formulated
and implemented the Plan for Medical and Health Work for Seniors in
the Eighth Five-Year Plan Period (1991-1995), issued policy
documents twice on improving medical and health work for seniors,
including work in a series of health development plans such as the
Outline for National Health Education and Health Improvement Work
(2005-2010), Outline for the Development of China's Nursing Work
(2005-2010) and Plan for China's Mental Health Work (2002-2010).
The National Health Work for Seniors Leading Group and the Experts
Consultative Committee for Health Work for Seniors have been set up
to strengthen the guidance, coordination and scientific
decision-making in this regard.
The state encourages large- and medium-sized medical
institutions, where conditions permit, to open special departments
or outpatient departments for senile diseases to provide
specialized services to seniors. The establishment of medical
service institutions according to regional health plans is also
encouraged to help prevent and treat senile diseases, provide
healing service for the aged and hospice care. Priority and
preferential treatment for people over the age of 70 are generally
provided in Chinese medical institutions in terms of registration,
treatment, obtaining medicine and hospitalization. The Outline for
National Economic and Social Development in the 11th Five-Year Plan
Period issued by the government in 2006 included the Nursing with
Care Project and speeding up the development of nursing facilities
for elderly patients and the disabled as key tasks.
The establishment of an urban community health service system
has been speeded up nationwide, with emphasis on medical and health
work for the aged, so as to provide safe, efficient, convenient and
economical health services to the elderly. Grassroots medical
institutions all over the country are encouraged to convert into
community health service institutions, and to provide health care,
medical treatment, nursing and healing services for the aged.
By the end of 2005, over 15,000 community health service centers
had been set up in Chinese cities, and urban community health
services were available in 95 percent of the cities at or above the
prefectural level, and in 86 percent of the districts under
municipal jurisdiction and the county-level cities. With visiting
and taking care of patients at home, daily care and hospice care
provided by grassroots medical institutions according to the
special needs of the elderly, their health problems can be
basically solved within the community.
In consideration of health and physical characteristics of the
aged, the Chinese government has made positive efforts in
organizing hygiene and health care publicity work. Radio, TV,
newspapers and community bulletin boards are all used to publicize
common knowledge of how to keep fit and healthy in old age.
Hospitals at various levels provide regular health lectures
throughout the year to local communities, providing health advice
to those suffering from chronic diseases.
The state has set the standard for healthy seniors, and
organized national public appraisals of healthy seniors as a way to
promote a scientific and healthy lifestyle. The "three-level
prevention and treatment work" (of heart, brain and blood diseases
as well as diabetes and other chronic diseases) is being stressed,
and the prevention and treatment guidance and management plan for
high blood pressure and diabetes has been formulated and gradually
promoted to facilitate the early discovery, diagnosis and treatment
of chronic diseases related to old age. Starting in 1991, the
Chinese government began to include the prevention and treatment of
senile diseases in the state scientific and technological plan. So
far, more than 50 institutions in the country are engaged in
research to prevent and treat senile diseases.
Promoting Mass Sports and Fitness Exercises among
Elderly People
The Chinese government promotes mass sports and fitness exercises
among elderly people with an aim to improve their physique and
health. By the end of 2005, all counties and higher administrative
units, 70 percent of urban communities and 50 percent of townships
in rural areas had established sports associations for seniors,
which are strengthening organization work and guidance for the mass
sports activities of the aged. In recent years, the state initiated
the National Fitness Project, which helps to set up public sports
and fitness grounds and facilities, and to provide space for
elderly people to do physical exercises.
At present, there are over 30,000 such sports grounds throughout
the country. Since 2001, the "Millions of Seniors' Fitness Exercise
Activities" organized in China have attracted more and more senior
participants, so it is estimated that there are now more than 58
million elderly people doing regular sports and fitness exercises
in China.
IV. Social Services for an Ageing
Society
To speed up the building of a social service system suitable for
an ageing society is an important measure to meet elderly people's
growing needs for social services. In recent years, the Chinese
government has made great efforts to develop community services for
the aged and to continually improve elderly people's living
environment. Meanwhile, social service institutions for the aged
are being encouraged to meet seniors' needs for diversified social
services. So far, a social service system for the elderly has taken
initial shape, based on family care for the aged, and supported by
community services and supplemented by institutional services for
seniors.
The state has promulgated a series of policies and documents,
such as Opinions on Promoting Urban Community Construction
Nationwide and Opinions on Strengthening and Improving Community
Services, and has taken active measures, increased its input,
strengthened community construction and service work, so as to
provide diversified and more convenient services to community
residents, including the aged, and to constantly improve the social
service environment for them.
By the end of 2005, there were 195,000 urban community service
amenities and 8,479 comprehensive social service centers in China.
Family visits, regular service provided at fixed venues, and mobile
service are available in most places, providing care and
housekeeping services, emergency aid, and other free or
reduced-payment services for the aged.
In the period 2001-2004, the Chinese government invested a total
of 13.4 billion yuan in the "Starlight Program" to build community
welfare service facilities for seniors. The program helped to set
up 32,000 "Starlight Centers for Seniors," which provide family
visit, emergency aid, day care, health and healing services, and
organize recreational activities, benefiting over 30 million
elderly people. In 2005, there was an average of 1.32 urban welfare
institutions for seniors in every community committee, and one such
institution for every 9.8 neighborhood committees.
In recent years, the state has increased its investment in the
building of social welfare institutions, targeting elderly people
who have lost the ability to work, who have no source of income,
and who have no legal guardians whatsoever to support them, or
their guardians do not have the ability to support them. The
government actively promotes the construction of senior citizens'
lodging houses, elderly people's homes and nursing homes for the
aged, to provide institutional services for seniors with different
financial and physical conditions, especially those over 80, sick
and disabled.
The building of elderly people's homes is also promoted in rural
areas for people in the "five guarantees" category. The government
has issued policy documents including Opinions on Accelerating
Socialized Welfare Services and Opinions on Accelerating the
Development of Social Services for the Aged to speed up the
development of institutional social services for the aged. Various
modes are encouraged to mobilize social resources for this purpose:
state built and privately run, privately operated with government
support, government subsidy, and services purchased by
government.
By the end of 2005, there were 39,546 institutions providing
services for seniors, such as social welfare institutions for the
aged, elderly people's homes, senior citizens' lodging houses, and
nursing homes for the aged, with a total of 1,497 million beds,
including 29,681 rural elderly people's homes with 895,000 beds.
The state has intensified its administration of standardized social
institutional services for the aged by issuing the Assessment
Standard for State-level Social Welfare Institutions for the Aged
and the Basic Norms for Social Welfare Institutions for the Aged,
to improve the quality and level of such services.
The Chinese government is endeavoring to train management and
service personnel to provide services for the aged through
educational course in school, work-and-learning programs and
on-the-job training. The Provisional Regulations on the System of
Assessing the Professional Level of Social Workers and the Methods
for Implementing Professional Proficiency Tests for Social Workers,
both promulgated by the state, encourage professional social
workers and college graduates majoring in social work to work in
social welfare institutions.
The government has also laid down the standards and
qualifications for the occupation of professional nurses for the
aged, in order to strengthen the building of professionalism and
standardization of this contingent. By the end of 2005, nearly
20,000 people had obtained such qualifications.
The government encourages establishment of volunteer
organizations to carry out the program known as Golden Sunshine
Action throughout the country, has mobilized many teenagers and
people of all walks of life to join volunteers to take care of the
aged. Their services cover many areas including taking care of
seniors' everyday lives and providing medical and health care as
well as legal aid by serving in social service institutions for the
aged and forming one-on-one relationships with the aged at home. So
far, more than 630 million hours of volunteer service have been
provided in 13 million cases for over 2.8 million elderly people,
and volunteers have set up over 60,000 service centers for the
aged.
V. Cultural Education for the
Aged
The promotion of cultural education for elderly people is a
requirement for enhancing the level of their spiritual and cultural
life. China pays much attention to the development of cultural
education for the aged in order to enrich their cultural life and
satisfy their needs in this regard.
The Chinese government has set up comprehensive activity centers
with adequate multi-functional facilities for seniors in large- and
medium-sized cities; cultural activity centers for seniors in
counties (cities, districts and banners); activity stations (sites)
for seniors in townships, towns and communities; and activity rooms
for seniors in grassroots villages and neighborhoods.
By the end of 2005, there were over 670,000 amenities for
seniors' recreational activities in Chinese urban and rural areas.
Governments at all levels have designated special activity venues
for seniors in both old and new public-welfare cultural
establishments, and cultural activity venues under the
administration of government institutions have also been opened to
the elderly. Public cultural service establishments such as
libraries, cultural centers, art galleries, museums, and science
and technology centers supported by state funds, as well as public
recreation places, including parks, gardens and tourist sites, are
open to seniors free or at a discount. As a result, the social and
cultural life of the elderly is continuously improving.
The state has made positive efforts to provide spiritual and
cultural products suitable for senior citizens. Central and
provincial radio and TV stations broadcast programs and special
features for elderly people. By the end of 2005, China had
published 24 newspapers for seniors, with a total circulation of
2.8 million copies, and 23 magazines and periodicals, selling some
3.058 million copies.
Large quantities of literary and artistic works popular among
elderly people have been created in literary, movie and television,
theatrical and publication circles. Cultural departments and
institutions at various levels organize art troupes to create and
give performances warmly welcomed by elderly people at grassroots
units.
The Chinese government positively promotes and supports all
kinds of cultural and recreational activities beneficial to the
mental and physical health of seniors, and allocates special funds
every year for such large-scale activities as national performances
by elderly people and the Chinese Elderly People's Chorus Festival,
and for international cultural and artistic exchanges for the
elderly. Diversified and healthy cultural activities for the
elderly are frequently organized in communities throughout the
country.
Public cultural institutions such as art centers, cultural
centers and cultural stations make it a point to give guidance to
elderly people's cultural activities, and meanwhile, have
cultivated a contingent of amateur art and literary activists among
seniors, who play an important role in enlivening and enriching the
spiritual and cultural life of the elderly. Mass recreational
organizations of elderly people in both urban and rural areas are
growing rapidly, forming the backbone of elderly people's cultural
activities.
The state attaches importance to protecting elderly people's
right to education, and has increased financial support for such
endeavors. Governments of different levels, departments concerned,
enterprises and public institutions have established model
institutions of higher learning for the elderly.
On the basis of existing provincial, municipal and county-level
mass cultural facilities, education for seniors has been developing
through different channels and at various levels, aiming to achieve
the goal of making higher education available for elderly people in
every county, and extending to townships and communities.
In some places, modern means of telecommunications have been
fully utilized to open TV and online schools for the elderly to
expand coverage of education for the aged. Today, an educational
system for elderly people that is multi-level, multi-form and
multi-disciplinary with different lengths of schooling has taken
initial shape. Studying in elderly people's schools helps seniors
to broaden their knowledge, enrich their lives, refine their
sentiment, improve their health and serve society. By the end of
2005, there were over 26,000 such schools in China, with a total
enrollment of 2.3 million elderly students.
VI.?Participation in Social
Development
The state values and cherishes senior citizens for their
knowledge, experience and skills, and respects them for their good
ethical values. It thus makes vigorous efforts to create conditions
for senior citizens to bring into full play their expertise and
capability, and gives them encouragement and support to integrate
into society and continue to make contributions to the social
development of China.
The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of
the Rights and Interests of Elderly People has a special chapter on
protecting the rights and interests of elderly people to
participate in social development. China has issued a development
plan for elderly people that includes, as an important component,
the encouragement of elderly people to participate in social
development, and has made special policies to bring into full play
the expertise of retired scholars and professionals.
In urban areas, governments at all levels guide senior citizens
to participate in the fields of education and training,
technological consultation, medical and health work, scientific and
technological development and application, and care for the younger
generation, in accordance with the demands of economic, social,
scientific and technological development.
In rural areas, governments encourage people in their 60s to
engage in farming, aquaculture and processing activities.
Statistics show that among the elderly people of China, in urban
areas 38.7 percent participate in public welfare activities, and
5.2 percent still have paid work; in rural areas, 36.4 percent are
engaged in farming.
In 2003, the Chinese government started to organize the Silver
Hair Action program, aimed at enabling senior intellectuals to
apply their scientific and technological knowledge and expertise to
aid the western regions and other under-developed areas in their
localities. So far, senior citizens involved in the Action program
have treated over 200,000 patients and trained 38,000 medical
personnel and primary and middle school teachers in 24 provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central
government.
And a volunteer program named Loving Care for Helping the Growth
of the Young is being carried out around the country. Volunteers
from among healthy people in their 60s, through the Moral Education
Action, Publicity Action, Inspection Action, Protecting Children
Action and Caring Action programs, are helping teenagers to solve
study, life and psychological problems. These programs have already
been launched in over 100 cities nationwide.
Under the guidance and with the support of the government, 13
national associations for senior citizens have sprung up, including
the China Senior Professors Association, Association of Senior
Scientists and Technicians and Association of Senior Lawyers,
branches of which have appeared all over China. The membership of
China Senior Professors Association and Association of Senior
Scientists and Technicians together exceed 650,000.
In local areas, societies with senior intellectuals as the
mainstay have been founded, such as the Association of Retired
Engineers, Association of Senior Teaching Staff and Association of
Retired Medical Workers, which help their members to continue to
make contributions to the social and economic development of China.
Local governments attach importance to the building of grassroots
senior organizations in urban and rural areas.
By the end of 2005, China had 317,000 such associations in both
urban and rural areas, playing an active role in organizing large
numbers of elderly people to take part in grassroots community
construction and public welfare activities, and safeguarding the
rights and interests of elderly people.
In recent years, the state has promulgated the Design Codes for
Accessibility of Urban Roads and Buildings, and formulated the
Tenth Five-Year Plan on Constructing Barrier-Free Facilities, and a
number of similar regulations such as Standards for Barrier-Free
Facilities and Equipment in Civil Airport Passenger Terminal Areas,
Design Codes for Accessibility of Railway Stations and Junctions,
Design Codes for Construction of Railway Stations for Passengers,
Design Codes for Equipment Used for Passenger and Freight Transport
at Railway Stations and Premises.
Construction of barrier-free facilities on roads, in stations,
airports, shops, at bus stops, in residential areas and other
public buildings in large and medium cities have been developing
rapidly, creating convenience for senior citizens in their daily
lives and enabling them to engage more fully in social activities.
A campaign to build demonstration cities/districts of barrier-free
facilities is being carried out around the country, and 12 cities,
including Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin, have been listed among the
first to build such bases.
VII. Safeguarding Elderly People's
Legitimate Rights and Interests
The Chinese government respects and protects the legitimate
rights and interests of elderly people, and employs legal and
ethical means to strengthen this work so as to promote realization
of legitimate rights and interests of the aged.
The Constitution of the People's Republic of China stipulates
that "Chinese citizens have the right to material assistance from
the state and society when old, sick or unable to work;" "Citizens
above the age of 18 are obliged to support their parents;" and
"There must be no mistreatment of senior citizens, women or
children." The basic laws of China, including the Law of the
People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Rights and
Interests of Elderly People, General Principles of the Civil Law of
the People's Republic of China, Law of Succession of the People's
Republic of China, Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China,
Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, and Law of the
People's Republic of China on Public Security Administration
Punishments, all clarify the rights of senior citizens and
stipulate the legal punishments for acts infringing on their
rights.
So far, 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities
directly under the central government have promulgated and enforced
local regulations on the protection of the rights and interests of
senior citizens. The state fully respects and cares for senior
citizens in social life. In 2005, the government issued Opinions on
Strengthening the Work of Care for Senior Citizens, requiring the
departments concerned to give preference to senior citizens
regarding economic support, medical care, everyday services,
cultural recreation and exercise, and rights protection. Similar
policies on special treatment for senior citizens have been
promulgated in all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities
directly under the central government, enabling seniors to fully
enjoy social respect and care.
The People's Court takes very seriously the handling of cases of
mistreating, abandoning and harming seniors, punishing in
accordance with the law crimes infringing on senior citizens'
rights of person and property, and gives priority to lawsuits
concerning seniors' support and medical care in putting on file,
adjudicating and executing these cases. Some grassroots people's
courts have set up "seniors tribunal" to handle civil cases
concerning senior citizens, and established the jury system for
cases involving seniors.
The Supreme People's Court of China has formulated regulations
on judicial assistance, and on postponing, reducing or exempting
court costs for poor senior citizens. In 2005, more than 30,000
seniors received judicial assistance. Public security agencies
severely crack down on illegal acts or crimes infringing on the
legitimate rights and interests of senior citizens in accordance
with the law, so as to protect the safety of their persons and
property.
Judicial and administrative departments make vigorous efforts to
provide legal assistance and services to senior citizens. And local
legal assistance and service agencies give top priority and
preferential treatment to seniors. Grassroots people's mediation
organizations in both urban and rural areas are playing a
significant role in settling disputes concerning senior citizens
and protecting their rights and interests. From 2001 to 2005, each
year legal service agencies provided assistance to seniors involved
in over 40,000 cases, served as agents and provided services in
over 400,000 similar lawsuits and non-lawsuits, and settled over
400,000 senior-concerned disputes.
The standing committees of the people's congresses at all levels
conduct regular or irregular inspections on law enforcement in this
regard, ensuring that government departments are fulfilling their
responsibility to protect the legitimate rights and interests of
senior citizens. From 2001 to 2005, standing committees of people's
congresses above the county level made altogether more than 3,000
inspections on the enforcement of laws and regulations relating to
senior citizens.
Meanwhile, people's political consultative conferences at all
levels fulfill the function of democratic supervision, offering
advice to governments on how to improve the work of protecting the
rights and interests of senior citizens. From 2001 to 2005, members
of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political
Consultative Conference made nearly 1,000 proposals concerning
senior citizens. Government departments at all levels are improving
the work of handling petitions and visits, in order to make sure
that the channel for the people's supervision is unimpeded.
By letters and visits, senior citizens protect their rights and
air their opinions and advice. In 2005, agencies on ageing around
China handled altogether nearly 400,000 letters and visits from
senior citizens. The news media too has carried out different forms
of supervision by public opinion centering on the issue of
protecting the rights and interests of senior citizens.
The Chinese government attaches importance to publicizing and
popularizing laws, regulations and policies concerning senior
citizens. It has included the Law of the People's Republic of China
on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Elderly People in
the Third Five-Year (1996-2000), Fourth Five-Year (2001-2005) and
Fifth Five-Year (2006-2010) plans on spreading general knowledge of
the law, and launched educational activities in varied forms,
strengthening the people's awareness of the importance of
protecting seniors' legitimate rights and interests, as well as
seniors' self-protection awareness. Governments at all levels have
adopted a variety of methods to invigorate the tradition of the
Chinese nation of respect and support for elderly people, and
improve people's awareness of the importance of respecting seniors.
Senior Citizens' Day is celebrated nationwide.
On the Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar
month) and local Senior Citizens' Day, government departments
concerned actively organize large-scale educational activities and
activities for respecting senior citizens. Local governments target
teenagers for education in respect for senior citizens, include
relevant content in primary and middle school courses, and conduct
the Educational Activity of Respecting, Loving and Helping Senior
Citizens among teenagers, and boost a sound social environment for
giving respect to and providing for the aged.
China has made obvious achievements in its undertakings for the
aged. However, as a developing country with a population of 1.3
billion, China still has problems and shortcomings in the work
concerning elderly people. For example, laws and regulations
concerning senior citizens need further improvement, and there are
still acts infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of
elderly people; the social security system is yet to be perfected;
elderly people with difficulties in their everyday lives in some
urban areas do not have adequate social security; the problem of
impoverished elderly people in some rural areas is still
conspicuous; and a social atmosphere of respecting elderly people
needs to be further developed.
In China, the task of solving problems concerning elderly people
and continuously promoting the development of undertakings for the
aged remains an arduous one. At present, the population of senior
citizens in China is growing by three percent every year. 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.
(China.org.cn December 12, 2006)