State Council: Leverage the guiding role of consumption subsidies and other policies to create a number of new scenarios and new formats for silver-haired consumption

On February 24, the State Council Premier Li Qiang presided over an executive meeting of the State Council to make arrangements for the government’s work after the Spring Festival holiday.

The meeting pointed out that this year marks the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan. All departments of the State Council should further enhance their sense of responsibility and urgency, focus on annual goals and tasks, quickly get into work mode, and promote the implementation of the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee.

Of particular note, the meeting discussed advancing work related to the silver economy and elderly care services. It emphasized that China’s silver economy has great potential, and measures should be improved, policies should be strengthened, and efforts should be made to promote the development of elderly care and related industries to provide strong support for addressing population aging.

Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Daily Economic News that in the past, it was generally believed that middle-aged people with income capacity were the main consumers. As China’s population ages, the size of the silver demographic is growing, and their actual consumption needs are substantial, including elderly care, health maintenance, and medical services. Therefore, it is necessary to design more reasonable consumption structures and methods for this group.

To promote quality and expanded supply of inclusive elderly care services

The meeting stated that efforts should be made to further release the demand for silver consumption, enhance consumption capacity, leverage policies such as consumption subsidies, and create new scenarios and formats for silver consumption.

It also called for improving the quality and coverage of elderly care services, establishing a tiered, categorized, accessible, urban-rural integrated, and sustainable elderly care service system to better ensure support for the elderly.

According to a review by the Daily Economic News, at the end of last year, eight departments including the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the “Measures for Cultivating Elderly Care Service Providers and Promoting the Silver Economy” (hereinafter referred to as the “Measures”), providing policy guidance and an action framework for high-quality development of the silver economy.

The Measures focus on promoting market-oriented supply and demand matching in elderly care services and introduce several initiatives. For example, they promote the expansion and upgrading of 15-minute convenient living circles, guide elderly care institutions to enter communities through chain operations, support the cultivation of professional escort and medical assistance agencies, and standardize services such as elderly accompaniment during medical visits. They also encourage mobile bathing vehicles to serve communities and provide on-site bathing assistance.

According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, by the end of 2024, the total elderly population aged 60 and above in China will reach 310 million. It is expected that by 2035, this number will exceed 400 million, and the scale of the silver economy may surpass 30 trillion yuan.

Bai Ming further told the Daily Economic News that stimulating the potential of silver consumption involves not only solving the issue of income but also addressing the availability of leisure time and space. Therefore, silver consumption should focus not only on goods but also on services, creating more diverse service scenarios.

Additionally, the meeting emphasized strengthening safety management in elderly care institutions, promptly identifying and resolving risks, cracking down on false advertising, illegal fundraising, and elder fraud, and effectively safeguarding the legal rights of senior citizens.

Supporting localities and enterprises in actively exploring new growth points

The meeting clearly stated that key tasks should be prioritized, with efforts organized quickly according to responsibilities, to conduct in-depth research and promote work to achieve tangible results. Innovative management and service approaches should be adopted, supporting localities and enterprises in exploring new growth areas, understanding enterprise needs and public concerns at the frontline, and implementing targeted policies to continuously stimulate market vitality and improve people’s livelihoods.

The meeting reviewed and approved the “Opinions on Strengthening Grassroots Fire Safety Work.” It pointed out that grassroots units are on the front lines of fire prevention and the forefront of major safety risk prevention and resolution. Prevention should be prioritized, combining fire prevention and firefighting, with responsibilities divided by levels and localities. A sound fire safety governance mechanism at the grassroots level should be established and improved. A collaborative work pattern should be formed, strengthening fire supervision and inspection, strictly implementing the “Three Managements and Three Musts” requirements, and solidifying fire prevention foundations. The fire safety people’s defense line should be strengthened through widespread publicity and education, regular emergency evacuation drills for key groups, and raising public awareness and self-rescue and mutual rescue capabilities.

The meeting discussed and approved in principle the “Water Law of the People’s Republic of China (Revised Draft),” and decided to submit the draft to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for review. It emphasized the need to thoroughly implement the new era water governance ideas, further strengthen systemic thinking and rule of law, enhance departmental coordination, regional joint governance, and overall water resource protection, development, utilization, conservation, and water hazard prevention, to provide stronger water security for high-quality development.