China's leaders have floated the idea of raising the retirement age. It hasn't gone down well

China is planning to raise its retirement age to address the challenges posed by its aging population and pension funding crisis. Currently, the retirement age for men in urban areas is 60, while for female urban workers it ranges between 50 and 55. The new plans have faced backlash, with concerns raised about delayed access to pensions and the impact on job opportunities for younger workers. China’s policymakers have been discussing increasing the retirement age for over a decade, and a top government think tank estimates that eventually, everyone will retire at 65. The country’s youth unemployment rate has reached historic highs due to the pandemic, further exacerbating the issue. China has been implementing measures to encourage population growth, but the willingness to have children remains low.