China to delay retirement ages ‘gradually’ by 2025, after holding firm for seven decades

China’s life expectancy at birth has more than doubled from just 35 years in 1949, and population experts say its long-mandated retirement ages are impractical

State Council decision is latest move by Beijing to cope with a population crisis fuelled by nation’s falling birth rate, rapidly greying population and dwindling workforce

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China’s State Council says the nation will “strengthen the capabilities of home and community elderly care services” in the coming years. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:30pm, 22 Feb 2022

China has confirmed that it will gradually start pushing back its long-mandated retirement ages in the coming years, in line with Beijing’s plans to better accommodate the needs of the elderly and adjust to new realities stemming from the nation’s rapidly ageing population.

The possible raising of its legal retirement ages has become an increasingly debated topic in recent years. And further impetus was given to the idea as recent data sounded alarms over how rapidly China’s workforce is shrinking.

Demographic and labour experts have long argued that the current mandatory retirement ages in China – 60 for men, 55 for female office workers and 50 for female blue-collar workers – must be reconsidered, especially since they were first stipulated about 70 years ago.

China’s life expectancy at birth was 35 years before 1949, according to official figures. By 2019, it had risen to 77.3 years. Some population experts say that renders the unchanged retirement ages impractical.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, said on Monday that it was addressing the issue. Without giving specific details on the changes, it said retirement ages would be “gradually” delayed by the end of 2025 – during the country’s current 14th five-year plan.