July 2023

China pensions reform: Winning strategies for global asset managers amid evolution in retirement market

By Asifma Major reforms to the Chinese Mainland’s pensions system are creating new opportunities for asset managers. This report, jointly authored by KPMG China and ASIFMA, explores the background to China’s evolving three-pillar pensions system and the demographic factors that necessitated the current reforms, and shares insights from market players on the challenges as well as the opportunities. Pillars 2 and 3 of the pensions assets industry in China could grow to as much as 15-21 trillion RMB by 2030 under...

China to expand national pilot project for hospice care, further improve humanistic care for elderly with an aging society

China will expand its national pilot project for hospice care with a third batch of pilot areas, further improving humanistic care for the elderly and the terminally ill across the country, a move to cope with the nation's rapidly aging population. China's National Health Commission (NHC) has issued a notice announcing the third batch of places, which include three provincial-level places - Beijing, East China's Zhejiang, Central China's Hunan - and another 61 cities or districts such as Nankai district...

China’s $400 Billion Pension Sends New Warning on Debt Risks

One of China’s biggest state-run investors is adding to the chorus of warnings over debt risks at the nation’s cash-strapped developers and local government financing vehicles. The National Council for Social Security Fund, which oversees about $417 billion according to the latest available figures, has advised asset managers that handle its money to sell some bonds including those from riskier LGFVs and private developers after a review, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be identified discussing private...

The Silver Wave: China’s Rapidly Aging Population and the Rise of Elderly Education

By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double (2.1 billion). The number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2022 and 2050 to reach 600 million. China has one of the fastest-growing aging populations in the world. There were 280 million people aged 60 and above in China at the end of 2022,...

U.S. pension funds, universities face pressure over China investments

U.S. public pension plans and universities are facing pressure to divest their portfolios from China amid tensions between Washington and Beijing, with billions of dollars at stake. Proposed federal and state legislation takes aim at public money being used toward investment into China over fears about national security and whether American dollars should go to a country the U.S. has deemed its primary strategic competitor. In May, a group of U.S. Senators led by Republican Marco Rubio reintroduced legislation which would ban the...

June 2023

China to explore housing pension system, improve residential quality: minister

China's housing minister has emphasized the need to improve the quality of housing and explore a housing pension system. Ni Hong, minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, called on the financial institutions to participate in urban construction and renovation, promoting the creation of livable, intelligent, and resilient cities, news outlet CHINAJSB.CN reported on Tuesday.   Ni made the remarks in a meeting with chairman of Bank of China on Monday to discuss a deepening of cooperation between the government and financial institutions,...

China’s private pension market could be US$969 billion opportunity for foreign firms by 2030: KPMG report

Ongoing reforms to China's challenged retirement system present big opportunities for global asset managers wanting to tap into the 28 trillion yuan (US$3.8 trillion) potential market, according to a joint report by KPMG China and the Asia Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (ASIFMA). China's pension system is in urgent need of reform, as the current framework is unable to cope with the needs of an increasingly elderly population, Eugenie Shen, head of ASIFMA Asset Management Group, said in the...

Robot Caregivers: China’s Solution for Aging Population

China, home to the world’s largest aging population, is facing a significant challenge in providing adequate care and support for its elderly citizens. However, in a remarkable display of innovation and foresight, China embraces the potential of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) to address this pressing issue. Focusing on developing cutting-edge technology, China aims to utilize robots as caregivers for older adults, revolutionizing how aging populations are cared for. This article delves into China’s ambitious endeavors, highlighting the advancements...

China. TV series set to teach elderly people about health

China's first TV series popularizing health information for the elderly premiered in Shanghai on Wednesday. The 10-episode series, which takes a lighthearted approach, focuses on helping the elderly understand common acute and severe threats to health, as well as chronic diseases in a scientific way, and also teaches them how to take precautions just in case. The show is the joint creation of Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University and the Shanghai Theatre Academy and is titled Ms Kang and Her...

Top asset manager says pension fund clients are turning skittish on China — ‘There is a very real geopolitical risk’

APG's pension fund clients are more worried about investing in China, the Financial Times reported. That's as geopolitical risk has grown, with China increasingly at odds with the West. "There is a very real geopolitical risk that has been added to the proposition." Rising international tensions with Beijing are a serious factor in the worsening skepticism around Chinese investments, APG Asset Management told The Financial Times. One of the largest asset managers in the world, the firm is in charge of about $570...