How China plans to build an age-friendly society

The Double Ninth Festival, which falls on this Sunday, is a traditional festival that celebrates the long-standing Chinese tradition of respecting, caring for, and honoring the elders. 

These values, deeply rooted in Chinese culture, have shaped the way Chinese people treat the seniors with kindness and respect, as reflected in both the nation's policies and people-to-people interactions. 

The Chinese leader himself has led by example.

Over the years, President Xi Jinping has regularly visited eldercare facilities to learn about their living conditions and the services available to help them live happy and fulfilling lives.

Ahead of the Chinese New Year in 2026, Xi paid a visit to an elderly care service zone in Beijing's Xicheng District, an area built to raise the living standards of local seniors. Spanning 510 meters, the service zone brings together 12 service providers to meet the needs of the elders, including a cultural center and an elderly apartment, with barrier-free facilities and age-friendly renovations.

There, Xi visited the community canteen, asked detailed questions about the healthcare services available, saw the recreational facilities for the elders, and stepped into the rooms of the residents to take a close look at their living conditions.

When speaking with an elderly resident in the complex, Xi stressed that senior citizens are a treasure of the country and highlighted that "caring for and supporting the elderly is a shared responsibility of the whole society." 

This emphasis on shared responsibility is reflected in China's broader plans to build an age-friendly society, with policies designed to help older people enjoy a comfortable, dignified and fulfilling later life.

Building an age-friendly society

According to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), China will strive to raise the coverage rate of community elderly care service institutions and facilities to over 70%, renovate and upgrade 2,000 public elderly care institutions and increase the share of nursing beds in elderly care institutions to over 73%.

These efforts come in response to increasingly urgent needs. By the end of 2025, China had 323.38 million people aged 60 and older, accounting for 23% of the country's population.

To address the challenges that come with an aging demography, China is committed to expanding access to elderly care services and ensuring they reach more people in need. One of the approaches is introducing the "15-minute community life circle" initiative, which aims to ensure that residents can reach essential services and facilities, including elderly care, healthcare, grocery stores, dining options and fitness facilities, within a 15-minute walk from home.

Meanwhile, China is also promoting age-friendly renovations in homes for older people, including the installation of handrails, grab bars, anti-slip mats and barrier-free furniture to make daily life safer and more convenient for seniors.

So far, China has built 860,000 elderly meal-service sites and modified 2.24 million homes for vulnerable elderly people. These facilities address basic but pressing everyday needs, from enjoying a hot meal and having a space to socialize to living in homes where older people can move around safely.

Liu Zhenguo, vice minister of civil affairs, said China is accelerating the development of an elderly care system with Chinese characteristics, which will continuously optimize its service supply structure.

"An elderly-friendly social environment is being built at an accelerated pace," Liu added.