Ageing Population
Technology
Exoskeletons offer consumer robotics a chance to find its footing
Robotic exoskeletons, or devices that can sense and adapt to users’ movements, providing synchronised assistance to help them walk or climb, are giving consumer robotics a real shot at mainstream success — but will China seize the lead in shaping the future of everyday robots?
Caixin Global
06 Mar 2026
Society
China’s population turn: The start of long-term decline?
China’s latest population statistics show a fourth consecutive year in decline, with births falling to 7.92 million in 2025. A shrinking, ageing workforce is likely to constrain economic growth, but on the flipside, could a smaller population have its benefits? Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May looks at both sides of the coin.
Genevieve Donnellon-May
24 Feb 2026
Society
[Video] Why young Chinese are losing faith in the pension system
China’s social security system covers more than a billion people, yet many young workers hesitate to pay in. Wide payout gaps, ageing pressures and low wages are eroding trust in pensions meant to secure their future. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina finds out more.
Yi Jina
16 Jan 2026
Society
No children, no regrets? Inside China’s first generation of childless ageing
As China’s first DINKs (“Dual Income, No Kids”) grow old, their lives are thrust into the spotlight. From a retired state-owned enterprise worker who says money and health are enough, to others who refuse to speak, their stories reveal pride, pain and unease beneath the debate, reports Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu.
Liu Liu
16 Jan 2026
Economy
Hong Kong isn’t falling — it’s rewiring itself for a fragmented world
Beneath the pessimism, Hong Kong is adapting fast. Its reinvention — spanning finance, talent and integration with mainland China — may prove decisive in a fractured global landscape, say AMRO economists Jae Young Lee and Jungsung Kim.
Jae Young Lee, Jungsung Kim
25 Nov 2025
Society
[Big read] Is assisted living — even overseas — the smart retirement move?
As Singapore’s population ages, the “silver economy” is booming. From luxury eldercare and AI companions to affordable overseas options, seniors are planning ahead. Lianhe Zaobao’s Vicki Loh speaks to providers and users shaping the future of retirement.
Vicki Loh
06 Oct 2025
Economy
China’s wage growth is losing steam amid economic transition
China’s slowing wage growth amid economic transition and rising social security costs are sparking debate. Experts see cautious policy amid structural shifts and an ageing population as key factors shaping income trends. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang takes a look at what this means for China’s economy.
Li Kang
29 Sep 2025
Society
When good intentions fail: The rise and fall of China’s community canteens
Community canteens were meant to offer affordable meals for seniors, but poor planning, misaligned incentives, and market pressures turned a good policy idea into a cautionary tale of failed implementation. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk explores “big pot 2.0”.
China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao
03 Sep 2025
Economy
Why China’s workforce is ditching social security — and hiring retirees instead
Widespread distrust in China’s social security system is driving an unusual labour market shift. From employers to workers, many doubt the system will protect their future — fuelling a surge in retiree hiring and revealing deeper anxieties about economic security. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Li Kang reports.
Li Kang
29 Aug 2025
Society
China wants everyone to pay into the pension system — not everyone will
China’s pension mandates face scepticism, as employers and workers frequently bypass the regulations, undermining their intended effect. Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Han Yong Hong explores the issue.
Han Yong Hong
28 Aug 2025
Economy
Can pensions save China’s economy? The rural elderly at the heart of a trade war strategy
As China faces down US tariffs, one especially vulnerable group is rural farmers, whose pension may not be sufficient to tide them through. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk dives into the issue.
China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao
19 May 2025
Society
High-scoring Chinese youths break taboos by joining the funeral industry
A few young graduates pursuing careers in the funeral industry are attempting to change the often negative views that people may have of the industry. Will their efforts be enough? China Desk looks at the issue.
China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao
09 Jan 2025