China's top legislator Zhao Leji met with a delegation led by Kim Tae-nyeon, president of the Republic of Korea (ROK)-China Parliamentarians' Union, on Thursday in Beijing.
Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that the sound and steady development of the relations between China and ROK serves the common interests of both countries and is conducive to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.
Zhao said the two sides should adhere to good neighborliness and friendship, follow the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and push for sound and steady development of China-ROK relations.
He called on the two sides to strengthen mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, jointly maintain the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, promote people-to-people exchanges, carry out more activities conducive to enhancing friendship between the two countries, and provide public support for the long-term development of China-ROK relations.
The NPC of China is willing to continue to carry out various forms of dialog and exchanges with the ROK National Assembly to promote the development of bilateral relations, Zhao said.
Kim said that the ROK side attaches great importance to developing ROK-China relations and congratulates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the NPC in China.
The ROK-China Parliamentarians' Union is willing to contribute positively to promoting the development of ROK-China relations, strengthening exchanges and cooperation between legislative bodies, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges, Kim said.
China's top legislator meets delegation of ROK-China Parliamentarians' Union
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday called for the steady and orderly implementation of the reform on gradually raising statutory retirement age to provide important support for advancing Chinese modernization.
Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a State Council meeting on mobilizing efforts for the reform in Beijing.
Li said the reform aligns with the objective requirement to proactively address an aging population and promote high-quality population development as well as the practical necessity for fully unleashing talent dividends and facilitating Chinese modernization.
He noted that the reform is a significant move to improve the social security system and better safeguard and improve people's livelihoods.
The Chinese premier emphasized adhering to the principle of voluntary participation and flexibility in implementing the delayed retirement policy, ensuring it truly reflects employees' intentions.
He urged the prompt formulation and improvement of supporting policies and measures, noting that policies that need to directly align with the reform plan should be introduced and implemented as early as possible.
Expanding employment should be a crucial measure supporting the reform's advancement, Li said. He stressed implementing and refining employment policies for college graduates and other young people while ensuring the protection of workers' rights and interests.
He also called for concrete efforts to strengthen old-age security and services, effective implementation of policies to raise basic pensions for urban and rural residents and retirees, and enhancing the coordination and adjustment of pension insurance at the national level.
Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, and State Councilor Wu Zhenglong attended the meeting. State Councilor Shen Yiqin presided over the meeting.
Chinese lawmakers on Sept 13 voted to adopt a decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age in the country, marking the first adjustment in the arrangement since the 1950s. According to the decision, the statutory retirement age for men will be gradually raised from 60 to 63 in the course of 15 years starting from 2025, while that for women cadres and women blue-collar workers will be raised from 55 to 58 and from 50 to 55, respectively.
Chinese premier stresses advancing reform on raising retirement age
