This Day, That Year

ItemfromJune9,1981,in ChinaDaily:AplentifulsupplyofeggsataBeijingstore helpsimproveresidents’ nutrition,andmakesshoppingconvenient.

Betternutritionhasraised theaveragelifespanofChinesepeoplefrom36yearsin 1949to68lastyear,accordingtotheMinistryofPublic Health.

China is aiming to increase its citizens’ average life expectancy to 79 years by 2030, according to the Healthy China 2030 blueprint released by the State Council, China’s Cabinet, last year.

As of 2015, life expectancy in China was 76.3, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The State Council plans to increase that to 77.3 by 2020 and 79 by 2030.

People in big cities such as Shanghai with improved medical services and better living environments have already met the target, according to the Shanghai government.

Last year, the average life expectancy in Shanghai topped 83, close to the world’s highest — 83.7 in Japan.

To provide better health services, the National Health and Family Planning Commission issued the 13th Healthy Aging Five-Year Plan (2016-20) in March, enhancing the medical security system.

The commission estimates that by 2020, there will be 255 million people 60 years and older in China, accounting for 17.8 percent of the country’s population.