Rapid increase in life expectancy attests to China's development

Editor's note: Zhang Benbo, a special commentator for CGTN, is a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Over the past 50 years, the general level of people's health in China has markedly improved. According to the World Bank, the life expectancy at birth in China has nearly doubled from 40 years in 1961 to 78 years in 2021. This makes China one of the countries with the fastest increases in life expectancy in the world. 

In 1961, the life expectancy of China was about 6.3 years lower than the world average, 2.7 years lower than the average of upper-middle-income countries, and 24.3 years lower than the average of higher-middle-income countries. By 2021, the life expectancy in China was 6.1 years higher than the world average, 1.8 years higher than the average of upper-middle-income countries, and the gap with high-income countries narrowed to 3.2 years. At the same time, main health indicators such as maternal mortality and infant mortality, have decreased significantly, both better than the average level of upper-middle-income countries.

The rapid increase in life expectancy is an outcome of the long-term practice of promoting public health in China. Over the past 50 years, China has adhered to the concept of people-centered development, and constantly reformed the medical and healthcare system, and explored a path of public health promotion with Chinese characteristics. 

First, China has continuously increased its health funding. The total national health expenditure rose from 11 billion yuan in 1978 to 7.55 trillion yuan in 2021, and the per capita health expenditure jumped from 11 yuan to around 5,400 yuan. 

Secondly, China has continuously improved the accessibility of health services. Medical and health institutions increased from 270,000 in 1961 to 1.03 million in 2021. The results of the Sixth Survey of National Health Services published in 2021 showed that nearly 90 percent of Chinese families were able to reach the nearest medical center within 15 minutes. 

Third, China has been gradually expanding the coverage of the medical security system. China has established the world's largest basic medical security network, and up to 1.35 billion people were covered with a coverage rate of over 95 percent. 

Fourth, China has been strengthening its public health services. Much attention was paid to establishing and improving a disease prevention and control system, and healthy lifestyles were promoted among all people. 

Fifth, China has been aiming to offer more equitable health services. Higher priority was given to the community level and rural areas to improve the accessibility of health services, and more attention was paid to women, children, the elderly, the disabled and the poor.

The rapid increase in life expectancy is a microcosm of the overall progress of Chinese society. Over the past 50 years, great changes have taken place in every field. China's economy has achieved leapfrog development and gradually become a main engine of world economic growth. In 1961, China's GDP was only $50 billion, less than 4 percent of the global total; by 2021, its GDP reached $17.8 trillion, about 18 percent of the global total. China has been experiencing rapid urbanization since the 1980s, developing from a typical rural society into a modern urban society. There were less than 20 percent of the population living in the cities in 1961, and it was about 65 percent by 2021. People's living standards have been constantly improving, and China has changed from a poor country to a relatively prosperous country. 

In 1961, China's gross national income per capita was less than $100, and it reached almost $12,000 in 2021. Poverty alleviation in China has achieved tremendous successes; the pivotal goal of ending poverty on the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was achieved 10 years ahead of schedule. China has also been exploring the path of green development, promoting sustainable development as a national strategy, actively participating in global environmental and climate governance, and putting forward the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

China is the largest developing country in the world, and the country's good practice in public health promotion is expected to provide useful experience to many developing countries. In the coming decades, China will still face the task of improving people's well-being and improving the quality of their lives. We hope that China can work with other countries on this front and jointly contribute to human development and progress.

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