Xi Jinping faced a furious backlash from the Chinese public after his government outlined plans for retirement age reform.
China has one of the lowest retirement ages in the world: men in urban spaces are allowed to leave at 60 and women at 50 or 55.
The plan aims to help Beijing deal with a major pension investment crisis, as well as the broader disruptions of an aging population.
Announcing the plans over the weekend, the ruling Chinese Communist Party said, “In accordance with the principles of voluntariness and flexibility, we will advance in an orderly manner on reform to gradually delay the legal retirement age. “
But the move temporarily sparked a furious reaction on social media, with older Chinese staff furious at the prospect of a delay in their pension funds.
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Younger generations also noted that they would have fewer opportunities to perform tasks if older Chinese had to stay in them longer.
The hashtag “advancing reform to delay the retirement age” began appearing on the social media platform Weibo shortly after the plan was revealed.
One of the most popular comments read: “Be careful: delaying the retirement age only means that you won’t receive a pension until very late. It doesn’t guarantee that you will still have a job before then!”
Another user noted, “Young people are struggling to find work, but older people are not allowed to retire. How can you dare inspire other people to have three children?
A user on social media platform Xiaohongshu said: “Delay the retirement age “voluntarily”? Like the previous generation “voluntarily” forced to have only one child or laid off from state-owned companies?
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Beijing has been grappling with youth unemployment since Xi lifted his strict coronavirus pandemic-like restrictions.
Ongoing economic disruptions have also caused employers to be reluctant to rent new homes as China’s economy slows.
China is also facing development with birth rates as its population has decreased in the last two years.
Last year, India overtook Beijing as the world’s most populous country, and the People’s Republic of China recorded its lowest birth rate since its creation in 1949.
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