HONG KONG (Reuters) – China is urging its rapidly ageing population to volunteer for community service, help develop some regions and contribute in areas from education to sports as it seeks to bolster its shrinking workforce.
The move comes as China, which is expected to see its population decline for decades to come, is taking measures such as delaying retirement to cope with falling birth rates.
Last week, the National Committee on Ageing Issues announced that the “Silver Age” scheme, first introduced more than 20 years ago, would be revised and expanded to cover more areas of economic and social development.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs said the wide-ranging initiative will enable all seniors to take part in grassroots activities ranging from dispute mediation to health and fitness.
In a statement on its website, the party called for “emphasis on the active role of older people in participating in grassroots governance.”
The ministry added that the scheme aims to play a key role in older people’s participation and contribution to society by 2028.
These activities range from patrols and childcare to caring for the elderly and supporting people with disabilities, but another important area is looking after children in rural areas while their parents work in big cities.
They also called for positions to be reserved for older workers at major sporting venues, events and important meetings where volunteers need to be recruited.
China’s birth rate fell to 9 million last year and is expected to fall further, leading to a shrinking workforce.
The United Nations projects that at current birth rates, the working-age population will fall by nearly 40% by 2050 from 2010 figures.
Last week’s proposal to raise the retirement age would speed up an overhaul of decades-old law to address economic pressures caused by a shrinking workforce.
(Reporting by Farah Master and Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
