国内英语新闻:China needs to prepare well for ageing population: vice premier

BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese society will age fast in the next five years and the government must be well prepared for the demographic change, said Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu here Friday.

Government policies needed adjusting and the social insurance network should be improved, Hui said at a meeting of the China National Committee on Aging.

Also services for senior citizens should be better developed to meet their needs, said Hui, also the committee's director.

The country will also work to expand the pension system in the rural area and cover as many senior people as possible, he said.

Health authorities plan to build more medical facilities for the elderly and urban planning should take the needs of senior people into consideration, he said.