November 2022

China. New pension program nears launch

China has almost completed all preparations for a private pension program and will soon start implementing the project, said an official at the Annual Conference of Financial Street Forum 2022 in Beijing on Wednesday. The country has rolled out supportive policies such as implementation measures, tax policies and rules for financial products in this regard after the General Office of the State Council issued its opinions on promoting the development of private pensions in April. System docking tests on the private...

Danish pension fund cuts China exposure

PFA, Denmark’s largest commercial pension fund, has exited two Chinese clothing manufacturers and is discussing how to handle its other China holdings amid an evolving risk environment, reports Bloomberg. The Copenhagen-based fund, which manages about $100 billion in assets, has sold out of Anta Sports and Li Ning, Rasmus Bessing, chief operating officer at PFA Asset Management, said in an interview. The holdings were worth around $4.2 million, he said. “We see China and the political development and believe that there...

Age for starting savings for pension drops in China

The average age for starting saving for a pension dropped sharply in China from 38 to 35, according to a survey on the prospect of China's elderly care released by Fidelity International and Ant Fortune on Tuesday, the Paper reported. Perceptions on and behaviors for retirement planning continue to improve when China's personal pension policy landed as a third pillar to support the country's pension system with the basic endowment insurance as the first pillar, and the enterprise annuity as...

China. Authorities release guideline for private pension plans

Five central departments released a guideline for the implementation of private pension plans on Friday, in an effort to improve the nation's pension system. The guideline, jointly released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration, said individuals joining the private pension plan should first open an account at State-run social security platforms or those operated by commercial banks and then open a capital account at an authorized commercial bank...

October 2022

Nearly 70% Chinese elderly intend to return to workplace after retirement: report

A latest report shows that 68 percent of surveyed senior citizens in China intend to return to the workplace after retirement while 30 percent of the interviewees say they have economic pressure. Experts said it's a normal and beneficial phenomenon given the slow growth of pension in recent years and labor shortages in some industries. The survey report on the post-retirement employment of senior citizens released by Chinese recruitment website 51job.com on Monday reveals that 34.4 percent of elderly...

Tax cuts for China’s private pension scheme likely to lure participants as financial institutions vie for market share

Tax on withdrawal of funds is down to 3 per cent from 7.5 per cent, a move likely to drive participation according to analysts However, the new tax rates may have little immediate impact given the relatively small size of the taxpayer population New favourable tax policies will encourage more people to participate in China’s forthcoming private pension scheme, analysts said, as Beijing strives to ease the financial strain of a rapidly ageing population. The tax cuts, announced last week, may also...

September 2022

China to allow deferrals of gov’t-levied charges, tax concessions for private pensions

China will allow market entities to defer payments of certain government-levied charges to further reduce financial burdens, and offer tax concessions for private pension schemes, according to a State Council executive meeting. At the meeting, chaired by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Monday, decisions were also made to enhance government services, ensure a bumper autumn harvest with improved rural infrastructure, and promote the development of the self-employment sector. Payments of certain government-levied charges and deposits will be temporarily deferred to further...

China population: pension burden in the spotlight as more than a third of provinces have 20 per cent of population aged above 60

In Liaoning province, 25.7 per cent of the population is aged over 60, while in Shandong the figure is 21.15 per cent Analysts say ageing is one of the biggest challenges facing China, with enormous strain likely for the pension system Citizens aged 60 or over account for more than a fifth of residents in 13 of China’s 31 provincial-level jurisdictions, highlighting growing strain on the country’s struggling pension fund, but possible opportunities for the silver economy. The alarming figure was recently...

August 2022

China should encourage private pension accounts

By Jiang Xueqing China should encourage individuals to open personal accounts and choose investment vehicles under a private pension plan rolled out by the country, and the plan should be better connected with basic old-age insurance and occupational pensions to complement the current guaranteed retirement income system, industry experts said. The nation unveiled the framework of a private pension plan earlier this year amid increasing efforts to address the needs of its rapidly aging population. At the end of last year,...

China launches human resources website for older people

China on Wednesday launched a human resources website for older people, marking the first step of building a human resources information service platform for the country's older citizens. Read also New York City pension fund returns plunge in difficult year The website, launched by the China National Committee on Ageing, offers content including human resources policies, human resources knowledge and employment information. Read also Climate Risk and Indian Pension Funds The website aims to build a platform to help older people with employment,...