Turningbacktheclock

China’s growing number of retirees find ways to continue contributing to society

IT’S seven o’clock in the morning, and Zhai Yuhong, 56, is on her beat in downtown Beijing. The feisty traffic coordinator takes her work seriously at the Zhanlanlu crossroad, doing her utmost to keep the movement of vehicles flowing smoothly. Zhai has been busy keeping order on the streets since she was retrenched from her state-owned factory job more than 10 years ago. As an early retiree she took up her position assisting the police with traffic control as a means to keep active.

“I am not a person who enjoys taking it easy. I felt at a loss when I was retired. I was sure I could do something else for society,” Zhai told Chinafrica.

Today, China, considered as one of the most economically energetic countries in the world, is also coping with the challenges of an aging society. In China, those aged 55 and above are considered “old people.” The retirement age in the country is currently 60 for men, 55 for female white-collar workers and 50 for female blue-collar employees. According to an estimate of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, by 2020 there will be 255 million people above 60 years of age in China, accounting for 17.8 percent of the country’s overall population. Defiant of any concerns about being a burden on society however, increasing numbers of senior citizens are still making contributions to society in various ways.