At 54, China’s average retirement age is too low
The government’s efforts to raise it face stiff opposition
AT ABOUT 54, the average age of retirement in China is among the lowest in the world. This is a problem. Since standards were set, life expectancy has soared while the number of working adults—those whose labour, in effect, supports retirees—has begun to shrink. But persuading people that they should work longer is proving hard. In 2008 the government said it was mulling the idea of raising retirement ages, but backed away amid a public outcry. Now it feels it can wait no longer.
This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Vanguard of the non-working class”
From the June 26th 2021 edition
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