Chinese Vice Premier Stresses Issue of Aging

Chinese Vice Premier Stresses Issue of Aging

Vice Premier Li Lanqing Monday stressed the importance of better serving the country's aged population, as this is vital to reform and maintaining social stability.

Li, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the China National Committee On Aging (CNCOA), was speaking at a meeting for members of CNCOA in Beijing.

The vice premier said that China's aging demographic takes up a large proportion of the country's overall population, but the country's programs and facilities for the elderly aren't able to meet the demand.

He asked the departments concerned to reverse this trend in the coming two to three years.

He stressed the importance of the role played by neighborhood communities in assisting the elderly, saying the groups should provide good cultural, medical and educational services to the aged.

China will hold its first national work meeting on aging here later this year.