Many Chinese not financially ready for retirement

Chinese citizens have higher expectations from their retirement life than ever before but their preparations are still not enough to be compatible with comfortable living at an older age, a report by Tsinghua University and AEGON- CNOOC Life Insurance Co Ltd showed on Wednesday.

According to 2014 Chinese Retirement Readiness Index, Chinese people's retirement readiness index stood at 6.30 this year, much higher than 5.37 for 2013.

The research was jointly released by the China Center for Insurance and Risk Management under School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University and AEGON- CNOOC.

Nearly 80 percent of respondents were aware of their personal responsibilities toward their retirement income. However, the report also noted that the index varies significantly between different regions and age groups. Young and middle-aged adults born in 1970s or 1980s, for instance, rank low on the list in terms of their expectations and awareness of retired life as well as the attitudes they express toward it.

Statistics show that by the end of 2013, the number of Chinese people at and above the age of 65 will have reached 132 million, accounting for 9.7 percent of the total population of the country and will increase by 10 million more each year.

It is predicted that by 2053, the number of aged population in China will have reached 487 million, or 35 percent of the population (that is, one elderly person in every three). Aging population has become an unavoidable challenge that concerns the entire Chinese community.

The survey was based on 2,000 effective questionnaires from China's 31 provinces, regions and municipalities, of which 1,800 were completed by working individuals, with the other 200 by retirees. This year's survey involved a larger and more varied base of participants.

Compared with last year's 64.9 percent, 77.6 percent of respondents this year have become aware of the personal responsibility that they have for their own life post-retirement.

"While personal savings and commercial pension continue to be the most important means for relieving financial pressure after retirement, the number of those choosing commercial pension has made a significant increase," said Chen Bingzheng, the author Professor from Tsinghua SEM.