China, US cooperate to improve care of Chinese seniors

The U.S. Washington Hospital Management and the China aging Development Foundation will invest 20 billion US dollars to upgrade China's healthcare for seniors, according to an agreement signed Friday.

The initial investment of 200 million US dollars will be used to set up a service center for the aging population in Shanghai. The service chain will be extended to Beijing, Hainan, Qingdao andother places.

"We will bring advanced technologies and doctors to cooperate with Chinese partners, to help Chinese old citizens grow with dignity and health," said Carl. N. Johnson III, president of the Washington Hospital Management.

The China Aging Development Foundation is a non-profit organization under the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

"The Chinese government encourages all efforts to improve the welfare of senior citizens, and I hope this cooperation project could help cultivate a social atmosphere for the care for old people," said Li Liguo, vice minister of civil affairs.

In China, people aged above 60 years old account for 11 percentof the 1.3 billion population, which puts the government under intensifying pressure to take care of the aging population.

Source: Xinhua