As China is becoming an increasingly aging society, the issue of senior care is drawing greater public attention. China has more than 200 million people over age 60, accounting for 14.9 percent of its population, and the figure is expected to reach 19.3 percent by 2020, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The central government has worked out a series of measures, including encouraging private investment in the senior care service industry, to help with the aging population. Comments:

We should develop specialized hospitals and medical research centers for the elderly. Pilot projects could be done in Shanghai. Like pediatrics, treatment for the elderly is different from other patients. While China has specialized hospitals for children and the pregnant, there is none for the elderly.

Shen Zhigang, NPC deputy and member of the Standing Committee of the China Democratic League Central Committee

China should deepen the reform of pension fund investment by lifting some restrictions. Most of the provinces have some pension balance and it can only be saved in the bank or spent on national debt. The interest rate for savings is only about 2 percent on average and is below the inflation rate. We should use pension funds better.

Xie Xuren, NPC deputy and former finance minister

Nursing personnel are urgently needed in senior care centers in rural areas. My village has built a senior care center and paid a large sum of money to buy facilities, but no one came to live in the center. The government should work out measures that require local hospitals to cooperate with villages and train senior care personnel for the centers.

Zhu Zhangjin, NPC deputy and head of Huafeng village in Haining, Zhejiang province

The recent reform of the pension system targeted civil servants and employees of State-owned enterprises or institutions. Hopefully, this round of reform will eradicate the discrimination associated with the "double track" pension system that has been in place for two decades.

Zheng Gongcheng, NPC deputy and president of the China Association of Social Security

(China Daily USA 03/12/2015 page7)