Elderly people exercise at a community activity room for the aged in Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, on December 15, 2023. Photo: VCG

A deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhou Jinbo proposed the implementation of an inclusive basic pension system in China for those aged 65 and above who are not currently receiving a pension, Chinese media outlet thepaper.cn reported on Monday.

Zhou suggested establishing an inclusive basic pension system so that those elderly can receive a regular income to meet their basic living needs, and enjoy a dignified life in their twilight years and enhance their sense of achievement and happiness.

Zhou also called for clarifying the management of the inclusive basic pension, proposing that the inclusive basic pension system should be incorporated into the existing pension security system, managed and implemented by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, so as to further improve China's pension security system.

Zhou said that the local standards for the inclusive basic pension entitlements should be formulated on the basis of the local minimum subsistence guarantee standard, so as to safeguard the basic living standards for older groups, and the standards should be adjusted in accordance with changes in the minimum subsistence guarantee standard. 

In addition, the entitlement standard for the inclusive basic pension should be raised appropriately in conjunction with the growth in the age, while economically developed regions are encouraged to increase the minimum entitlement standard appropriately, Zhou told the paper.cn.

Zhou also proposed that the implementation of the system should be promoted in a phased manner. Developed regions with fiscal surpluses should take the lead in establishing the mechanism and implementing it, while central government should provide financial support and gradually promote the implementation of the system for relatively less developed regions, using three to five years to achieve full coverage of the inclusive system.

Zhou pointed out that although a relatively comprehensive aged-care relief system has been established for the elderly population in China, it is not inclusive and the relief standards are generally low.

Zhou said that China's old age security system started late, and that a section of the elderly population, especially those in rural areas, due to age, their remote location, information blockage, low literacy and other reasons, did not participate in work and didn't pay social security, meaning this group of older persons has no regular income and lacks basic protection in their old age.

Global Times