标签： Asia

China is poised to transform its demographic challenge into a strategic economic advantage through its forthcoming 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), marking a fundamental shift in how the nation addresses population aging. Rather than treating elderly citizens merely as recipients of social welfare, the new framework positions them as active contributors to economic growth through three key mechanisms: long-term care insurance expansion, private pension system modernization, and targeted development of the silver economy.

Current statistics reveal the scale of this demographic transformation: China now counts 310 million citizens aged 60 or above, representing 22% of the total population. Within this group, 220 million have reached 65 years or older. The nation’s life expectancy has climbed to 79 years during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), reflecting a 1.07-year increase from 2020 and standing five years above the global average.

The Communist Party of China’s recently published recommendations outline specific measures to operationalize this strategic pivot. These include enhancing the national pooling mechanism for basic pension insurance and developing a multi-tiered, multi-pillar retirement security system designed to progressively elevate citizens’ post-retirement income levels.

Critical infrastructure adaptations form another cornerstone of the strategy. The plan mandates comprehensive upgrades to public facilities, ensuring they become both barrier-free and elderly-friendly. Simultaneously, it promotes wider implementation of long-term care insurance programs across Chinese provinces.

Workforce policy reforms represent equally significant components. The government will implement gradual retirement age adjustments while relaxing age restrictions for employment and social insurance participation. These measures aim to better utilize senior workers’ capabilities and stimulate silver economy growth.

Recent economic analysis quantifies the opportunity: China’s silver economy currently generates approximately 7 trillion yuan ($996.1 billion), accounting for 6% of national GDP. Projections indicate this could expand to 30 trillion yuan by 2035, potentially representing 10% of China’s total economic output.

Experts emphasize that continued enrichment of elderly services, coupled with strengthened insurance systems and enhanced workplace protections for older employees, will be essential throughout the next five-year implementation period to fully realize this demographic-economic strategy.

DHAKA, Bangladesh — In a politically charged homecoming, Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), returned to Dhaka on Thursday after 17 years of self-imposed exile in London. His arrival marks a significant development in Bangladesh’s volatile political landscape ahead of February’s pivotal elections.

Rahman, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport under tight security alongside his wife and daughter. The homecoming transformed into a massive political demonstration as supporters flooded a 2-kilometer radius between the airport and reception venue, with party leaders claiming millions had gathered to welcome the returning leader.

The 56-year-old politician originally left Bangladesh in 2008 for medical treatment after enduring torture during the military-backed caretaker government (2006-2008). His return follows acquittals on all criminal charges by the current interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, including allegations of involvement in a 2004 grenade attack on a political rally of current exiled leader Sheikh Hasina.

Rahman’s return occurs against the backdrop of profound political transformation. Bangladesh remains governed by an interim administration that assumed power following the 2024 uprising that ended Hasina’s 15-year rule. The Yunus government faces mounting criticism from international human rights organizations and domestic liberals who accuse it of eroding democratic institutions and permitting rising Islamist influence.

Following his reception, Rahman plans to visit his critically ill mother, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who led the country from 2001-2006. The political dynasty began when Zia, a former housewife, entered politics after her husband President Ziaur Rahman’s assassination in 1981.

Despite his prolonged absence, Rahman maintained firm control over BNP through digital participation in meetings and rallies, facing no significant internal challenges to his leadership. His return sets the stage for a dramatic political confrontation as Bangladesh approaches what many consider its most consequential election in decades.

In a dramatic political homecoming, Tarique Rahman—the exiled leader poised to become Bangladesh’s next prime minister—has returned to his homeland after 17 years in London. The 60-year-old scion of the influential Zia political dynasty arrived to massive crowds of supporters in Dhaka, marking a seismic shift in the nation’s political landscape ahead of watershed general elections.

Rahman’s return follows the spectacular downfall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose government was ousted last year amid allegations of severe human rights violations. While Hasina’s Awami League party dominated Bangladeshi politics for nearly two decades, Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) now stands as the frontrunner to secure power in the upcoming polls.

The political transition carries profound historical significance. During Hasina’s tenure, Rahman faced multiple criminal investigations that he characterized as politically motivated persecution. All charges against him were dropped following the regime change, clearing his path to leadership. Meanwhile, Hasina herself now lives in exile in India after being tried in absentia and receiving a death sentence for her government’s lethal crackdown on student-led protests—a period that UN investigators say claimed up to 1,400 lives.

With the Awami League likely barred from participation, the upcoming elections represent what many observers consider the most consequential democratic exercise in Bangladesh’s modern history. Rahman’s return from exile symbolizes not just a personal homecoming but potentially the dawn of a new political era for the South Asian nation.

In a significant diplomatic move, the Group of Seven (G7) nations—comprising the world’s most advanced industrialized democracies—have issued a forceful condemnation of Israel’s recent authorization of 19 new settlement units within the occupied West Bank. The joint statement, released on Wednesday, characterized these unilateral actions as clear violations of international law that potentially escalate regional instability.

The United States notably abstained from endorsing the collective declaration, which garnered additional support from several European countries including Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. The signatories emphatically reiterated their opposition to territorial annexation and settlement expansion policies, specifically referencing the controversial E1 settlement project and thousands of planned housing units.

The diplomatic communication further emphasized that such measures undermine the implementation of President Donald Trump’s 20-point peace proposal for Gaza. While Washington has reportedly expressed private frustrations regarding Israel’s actions—particularly given previous assurances against West Bank annexation—Secretary of State Marco Rubio deferred questions about settlement expansion and settler violence against Palestinians to the US embassy in Jerusalem.

The recent approval of settlements was orchestrated by Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who openly acknowledges that these measures intend to obstruct the formation of a Palestinian state. This development coincides with concerning cartographic analyses by The New York Times illustrating how Israeli settlements are progressively consuming West Bank territory, drawing comparisons to South Africa’s apartheid-era bantustan system.

All signatory nations except Japan have formally recognized the State of Palestine at various points throughout this year, reinforcing their commitment to a negotiated two-state solution as the only viable path toward lasting peace in the region.

In a significant demonstration of military advancement, North Korea has revealed substantial progress in its nuclear-powered submarine program during leader Kim Jong Un’s inspection of a naval shipyard. State media imagery depicts a near-complete burgundy-hulled vessel coated with anti-corrosion materials, marking the most visible development since initial images emerged in March.

Kim characterized South Korea’s pursuit of nuclear submarine technology—reportedly endorsed by former U.S. President Donald Trump—as an ‘offensive act’ violating North Korea’s security and maritime sovereignty. He asserted that this perceived threat justifies accelerated naval nuclearization, describing the submarine project as ‘epoch-making’ for strengthening deterrence capabilities.

Military analysts note that the visible hull completion suggests critical internal components, including the engine and potential reactor, may already be installed. Moon Keun-sik, a submarine specialist at Seoul’s Hanyang University and former South Korean naval officer, estimates sea trials could commence within months if current progress continues.

The nuclear submarine represents a cornerstone of Kim’s 2021 weapons modernization agenda, which also includes solid-fueled ICBMs, hypersonic systems, spy satellites, and multi-warhead missiles. This development coincides with North Korea’s recent unveiling of a new naval destroyer and testing of long-range anti-air missiles.

Experts speculate that North Korea’s strengthened alignment with Russia, including military support for Ukraine operations, may have facilitated technological transfers. While some suspect Russian reactor procurement, others believe Pyongyang developed domestic reactor capabilities with possible external technical assistance.

The advancement occurs amid deteriorating Korean Peninsula relations, with Kim intensifying weapons development while rejecting denuclearization talks that collapsed following the 2019 Trump-Kim summit.