China to raise retirement age in next five years

The country's retirement age is one of the world's lowest - and life expectancy is higher than the US.

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Life expectancy in the country has now risen above the United States, to 78 years, from just 36 years at the time of the Communist revolution in 1949.

But China's retirement age remains one of the lowest in the world - at 60 for men, 55 for women in white-collar jobs and 50 for working-class women.

The plan to raise retirement ages is part of a series of resolutions adopted last week at a five-yearly top-level Communist party meeting, known as the Third Plenum.

"In line with the principle of voluntary participation with appropriate flexibility, we will advance reform to gradually raise the statutory retirement age in a prudent and orderly manner," the party's central committee said in a key policy document highlighting the reforms.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpd9v48yn8ro

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