Age-friendly products catch limelight at ongoing CIIE

Silver economy has caught limelight at the ongoing 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) where myriad innovative age-friendly products made their debut, an upbeat trend to cater to the growing aging population.

Experts have predicted that the number of people aged 60 and above in China will surpass 400 million around 2035 and is expected to reach 500 million by 2050.

Meanwhile, China's silver economy now stands at around 7 trillion yuan (about 960 billion U.S. dollars), and is expected to reach around 30 trillion yuan (about 4.13 trillion U.S. dollars) by 2035.

Participants at the expo are prioritizing open cooperation and innovative advancement within the silver economy sector, discussing new ideas and strategies that actively respond to the challenge of an aging population and help promote the industry's high-quality development.

During a forum focused on silver economy, head of the social affairs department of the National Development and Reform Commission said that China has entered a moderate aging society, with its aging rate being relatively high on a global scale. Developing silver economy has become a key strategy for addressing the challenges posed by an aging population in China, alongside the innovation of new technologies for meeting their needs.

"China is a very vibrant, innovative economy, and a lot of people are trying new things. I think there is a lot of room for cooperation between Japanese companies and Chinese companies," said Osamu Onodera, Head of the Beijing Office for JETRO, a government related organization responsible for promotion of trade and investment.

There are about 220 million people aged 65 and older in China, accounting for 15.4 percent of the population. At the expo, life insurance industry practitioners said that they will enhance wealth management and health protection services for the elderly to align with the evolving silver economy.

"We will increase the supply of insurance service systems for silver economy, as well as make more investments in this area," said Dai Chuanjiang, Deputy General Manager of China Pacific Life Insurance Company.

The CIIE has been facilitating connections between supply and demand in the health and elderly care industry. The estimated transaction volume for elderly care, rehabilitation and assistive products has reached 348 million U.S. dollars in the previous six sessions.

The 7th CIIE, which runs from Tuesday to Sunday, has attracted 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions this year. The event also marks a significant milestone with the participation of 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and leading industry players from around the world.

Age-friendly products catch limelight at ongoing CIIE

A new direct passenger flight route from Ningbo City of east China's Zhejiang Province to Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh opened on Wednesday, which also marked the first international flight out of the city's airport in 2025.

The new flight departs from the Ningbo Lishe International Airport at 13:30 and takes just under four and a half hours to reach the Cambodian capital. Operated by Cambodian airlines, it is scheduled to fly every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with the return flight departing Phnom Penh at 07:40 local time on the same days.

The direct route provides an important travel option for tourists, especially those from Ningbo and the surrounding areas. Pang Cuili, a Ningbo resident who had to transit in Shanghai for a midnight arrival in Phnom Penh, said the new service now offers much greater convenience.

"We'll fly at 13:30 and arrive at around 16:50. It’s very convenient [timing] for us to check into the hotel after arriving," she said.

As the capital and largest city of Cambodia, Phnom Penh has long been an important international aviation hub in Southeast Asia, with the new route giving a further boost to the economic and cultural exchanges between Ningbo and ASEAN countries.

"Today marks the first flight of Ningbo Airport's regular direct passenger service to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The opening of this route is also an important move for the airport to help implement the Belt and Road Initiative, enriching international passenger transport routes, and further speeding up the recovery of the international market," said Chen Qiaoyu, manager of the Market Development Department at the Ningbo Lishe International Airport.

As Cambodia Airlines' first route out of Ningbo Airport, the new service also signals the airline's broader plans to connect various parts of China with Cambodia in the coming year.

Ningbo airport launches first direct flight to Phnom Penh