China's average life expectancy reaches 79 years in 2024: health official

China's average life expectancy has reached 79 years in 2024, an increase of 0.4 years compared to 2023, a health official said on Sunday.

This achievement has surpassed the targets set in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) ahead of schedule, Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission, told a press conference.

Attaining such results has not been easy, Lei said, noting that in countries and regions where the average life expectancy exceeds 75 years, the annual increase is generally only about 0.1 to 0.2 years on average.

Data compiled from 53 middle- and high-income countries shows China ranking fourth. Among the G20 nations, a life expectancy of 79 years places China in the tenth position, according to Lei.

This indicates that the Chinese people's excellent traditional culture, healthy lifestyle, the implementation of a series of strategies such as the Healthy China initiative, and prioritizing health development have had a direct impact on improving public health, Lei concluded.