China said on Thursday it would build a “birth-friendly society” in the next five years as it pledged to address concerns about employment, education, medical care, health and income, according to an official government report.
Authorities will improve population services and proactively respond to the aging population, including “promoting high-quality full employment, improving the income distribution system and improving the social security system.”
The announcement comes after China’s population fell for a fourth straight year in 2025 as the birth rate fell to a record low, official data showed in January, with experts warning of further declines.
China’s population is shrinking and aging rapidly from 2022, complicating Beijing’s plan to boost domestic consumption and curb debt.
New policies will be introduced to support the “high-quality development of the silver economy”, targeting those aged 60 and over, with aged care services to be increased, particularly in rural areas, the report said.
The authorities will also develop measures to improve support policies for the elderly, including pension funding, wellness and care, it said.
By 2035, the number of people over the age of 60 is expected to reach 400 million – roughly the size of the population of the United States and Italy combined – meaning hundreds of millions of people are set to leave the workforce at a time when pension budgets are already strained.
China has already raised the retirement age, with men now expected to work until 63 instead of 60 and women until 58 instead of 55.
China will promote “positive attitudes towards marriage and childbearing”, the report said, adding that it would strengthen support for housing for families with children.
Services for women in the early stages of pregnancy as well as reproductive health would improve, while authorities would focus on better prevention and treatment of birth defects.
The authorities will also improve the free pre-primary education policy and increase the supply of places in mainstream upper secondary schools, with government spending on education set to exceed 4% of GDP, the report said.
