China's retirement age reform driven by longer life expectancy, increased schooling years: official

China's plan to gradually raise the statutory retirement age is driven by trends such as increasing life expectancy and longer schooling for the working-age population, Wang Xiaoping, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, said at a press conference on Friday.

Chinese lawmakers on Friday voted to adopt a decision on gradually raising the country's statutory retirement age, marking the first adjustment in the arrangement since the 1950s.

According to the decision adopted at the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, the statutory retirement age for men will gradually be raised from 60 to 63 over a 15-year period starting in 2025. For women, the retirement age will increase from 55 to 58 for white-collar workers and from 50 to 55 for blue-collar workers.

Starting in 2030, the minimum number of years employees must contribute to their pension accounts will gradually increase from the current 15 years to 20 years, according to the new decision.

Driving the retirement reform are significant changes in China's population structure. Wang noted that the new decision is based on current life expectancy and years of schooling.

"The average life expectancy has risen from 40 years in the early days of the People's Republic of China to the current 78.6 years. The average number of years of education for the labor force has also risen to from 8 years in the initial phase of China's reform and opening-up to the current 14 years. There is a general delay in the age at which people enter the workforce," said Wang.

Officials say policies will be implemented to improve the pension insurance system and enhance protections for older workers.

"Ensuring the health of workers, particularly older ones, is an important part of China's efforts to promote a healthier society. We will strengthen occupational health monitoring, analysis and understanding of the health status of workers and work to prevent occupational diseases and health risks among older workers. The healthcare service system will be continuously improved based on the needs of older employees," said Yu Xuejun, deputy director of the National Health Commission of China.

Officials stressed that the decision would be introduced based on the principle of voluntary participation with appropriate flexibility and would unfold in a prudent and orderly manner.

China's retirement age is among the lowest in the world, despite a significantly increased life expectancy. In 2023, the population aged 60 and above in China reached 297 million, accounting for over 20 percent of the total population. Analysts suggest that delaying retirement is essential to adapt to China's demographic changes and is also in line with global mainstream practices.

China's retirement age reform driven by longer life expectancy, increased schooling years: official

Bakers in San Francisco's Chinatown have been adding some new twists to traditional Chinese mooncakes to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sept 17 this year.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the night when the moon reaches its fullest and brightest on the 15th day of the eighth month on the lunar calendar. Sharing mooncakes, a classic Chinese baked pastry that symbolizes family reunions during the harvest season, with loved ones is an important part of the festival celebrations.

The iCake Bakery in the heart of the city's Chinatown is especially busy at this time of year. This year, the bakery owner Hannah Zhang invited Judy Lee, the vice president of the San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce, to make mooncakes.

"So we have here a black sesame filling. It's one of the most unique flavors we have at iCafe. And now we're going to put in an egg yolk," said Lee, translating for Zhang.

Just around the corner at the AA Cafe, owner Henry Chen has also been experimenting with some new twists on the classic treat.

"We have a lot of different [flavors], like the date, melon, pineapple, strawberry, mango and seasoned nuts," said Chen.

Visitors to San Francisco's Chinatown can find all sorts of mooncakes, especially in the months leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival. Whether it is a traditional or modern variety, it is a way to connect with a tradition that stretches back more than a thousand years and to remind people what the historic Chinatown community has to offer.

"In the spirit of the Moon Festival, it gives us another reason to gather with our friends and family to attract people who've never been to San Francisco's Chinatown and see why there's so much preservation here. It is the oldest Chinatown in the nation still," said Lee.

Bakers in San Francisco offer new treats for mooncake lovers for Mid-Autumn Festival