He Wei, vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, led a team to East China's Zhejiang and Jiangxi provinces to survey the development of the silver economy, from April 12 to 18. 

The survey team, the members of which are from the Committee on Population, Resources and Environment of the CPPCC National Committee, received briefings from local governments. It visited Hangzhou and Jiaxing in Zhejiang and Nanchang and Jiujiang in Jiangxi as part of its enquiries. 

He recognized the achievements the two provinces have made in addressing the aging of the population and developing the silver economy. He pointed out that implementing the national strategy for addressing population aging is an important deployment by the central leadership, which is pertinent to the overall development of the country and people's wellbeing and will play a significant role in sustainable socioeconomic development during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period and beyond. 

A deep understanding of the national strategy to cope with aging population is needed, he said, adding that a coordinated development of the elder-care industry and related undertakings needs to be achieved as part of a new development paradigm. Addressing aging population is of strategic importance to national security and social stability, while developing the silver economy is an important measure to tackle the issue, said He.

He urged implementation of relevant policies, enhancement of public services, reinforcement of sci-tech innovation, local-level experimentation of new policies and cultivation of new growth in order to boost the silver economy and to enhance senior people's sense of happiness and gain.