Chinadaily.com.cn (26.03.2026) China has formally launched a national long-term care insurance program after a decade of pilot programs, establishing what it calls a "sixth pillar" of social security to ease the burden on families caring for a rapidly aging population. The framework, issued in a joint guideline by the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, sets a three-year target to build a unified system covering the entire population, regardless of employment status. It follows pilot programs that have covered more than 3.3 million disabled

cepr.org (21.03.2026) China is undergoing a sharp demographic transition: rapid population ageing, a shrinking labour force, persistently low fertility, and continued urbanisation. Using an overlapping-generations framework, this column shows that the demographic transition is a joint growth and fiscal headwind: the economy slows just as ageing-related spending pressures intensify. A recent retirement age reform mitigates some of the economic and fiscal pressures.

news.cgtn.com (05.03.2026) China will advance a proactive national strategy in response to population aging, according to the government work report submitted on Thursday to the country's top legislature for deliberation. The report prioritizes elderly care services in rural areas. Minimum basic old-age benefits for rural and non-working urban residents will be raised, and the country's unified national management system for basic old-age insurance funds will be scaled up.

chinadaily.com.cn (26.01.2026) Experts have called for collaborative efforts from government, online platforms and society to improve social insurance coverage for people in new forms of employment — such as ride-hailing drivers and food delivery workers — to better safeguard their livelihoods. Earlier in December, the annual Central Economic Work Conference held in Beijing clarified that flexible workers and people in new forms of employment are encouraged to enroll in the regular employees social insurance program.

Xinhua (22.01.2026) China has rolled out a nationwide subsidy program to support elderly people with disabilities who purchase care services, authorities announced Thursday, as part of efforts to ease family burdens and build a more senior-friendly society. The vouchers, worth up to 800 yuan (about 114 U.S. dollars) per person per month, can be used to cover a wide range of services such as meal assistance, bathing assistance, housekeeping assistance, mobility support, emergency aid, medical assistance, rehabilitation nursing, and daytime care.

asianews.network (08.01.2026) In December, top lawmakers deliberated ways to offer better legal protection for the country’s workers in flexible employment, based on a report that pointed out that “issues such as unstable income and insufficient labour protection persist” despite strides made in recent years.

ilo.org (05.11.2025) Since the 2000s, China has made significant progress towards the extension of social insurance coverage to its entire population. Alongside this progress, growing demand for convenient and high-quality social insurance services has driven efforts to establish a nationwide service platform. The Unified Social Insurance Public Service Platform, launched in 2019, integrates national and local platforms, social security cards and service windows to provide comprehensive and seamless services.

manilatimes.net (11.03.2025) A nationwide initiative led by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions has made strides this year, using a "centralized collective bargaining" campaign between platform companies and their workers.

economist.com (18.09.2025) The biggest workforce in the world has undergone an extraordinary transformation. China’s farm labourers and industrial proletariat have been joined by an army of gig workers. Tens of millions now use tech platforms to find jobs for fleeting periods; fully 200m, or 40% of the urban labour force, depend on some kind of flexible work. The fortunes of these precarious workers, many of whom struggle to buy property and gain access to public services and benefits, will shape China’s economy and society for years to come.

International Labour Organization (30.05.2025) China’s experience in pursuing universal health coverage: In recent years, China has made significant strides in extending health coverage. This technical report systematically summarizes China’s experience developing and strengthening its health system towards universal health protection. The report provides a clear picture of the recent evolution of the health system in China in the last decades and highlights remaining challenges.