With a rapidly aging population, China will make greater efforts to bolster the consumption of elderly care services and improve the quality of life of its elderly people, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) on Friday.

The MCA, together with the Ministry of Commerce and other 22 government departments, has issued a set of new supportive measures, requiring efforts to expand the supply of elderly care services, particularly those in rural areas, in accordance with public demand.

On boosting the consumption of such services, the document says it supports the integrated development of elderly care services with the sectors of property management, housekeeping, healthcare, culture, tourism, sports and education. It also designates October as a consumption promotion month for elderly care services.

Official statistics show that 297 million Chinese people were aged 60 or above in 2023, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population.

To actively respond to population aging, the Communist Party of China Central Committee has pledged efforts to refine the policies and mechanisms for developing elderly care programs and industries in a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively.

Also on Friday, a State Council executive meeting discussed measures on deepening the reform of elderly care services, with priority placed on old people who are unable to take care of themselves and who live alone, while calling for unleashing stronger consumption potential and expanding domestic demand.