The 12th China International Senior Services Expo Held in Beijing

On May 18, 2026, the 12th China International Senior Services Expo (hereinafter referred to as the “Expo”) was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing. Zhang Meiying, Vice Chaiarperson of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, announced the opening of the Expo. Wu Yushao, President of the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service; Gregor Sneddon, Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing; and Yang Zhiwei, Member of the CPC Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, attended and delivered remarks. The opening ceremony was presided over by Xu Jianzhong, Executive President of the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service.

第十一届全国政协副主席张梅颖宣布博览会开幕

中福协吴玉韶会长出席开幕式并致辞

 中福协徐建中执行会长主持开幕式

Guests attending the opening ceremony and main forum also included Zheng Gongcheng, Member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, Vice-Chairperson of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, and President of the China Association of Social Security; Lyu Xiaoli, Vice President of the China National Committee on Ageing; Wang Hui, Second-Level Inspector of the Department of Elderly Care Services of the Ministry of Civil Affairs; Liu Yan, Deputy Secretary and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the 14th Joint Party Committee of National Industry Associations and Chambers of Commerce; Du Wenge, Member of the CPC Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Department of Civil Affairs of Jilin Province; Li Hao, Member of the CPC Leadership Group and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Civil Affairs of Hainan Province; and other leaders of civil affairs authorities from 11 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. Also in attendance were Yu Jianwei, Chairman of the China Ageing Development Foundation, and heads of social organizations affiliated with relevant ministries and commissions; representatives of international organizations including the International Federation on Ageing and the United Nations Population Fund; representatives of embassies and institutions of the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Australia, Finland, the United States and the Republic of Korea in China; and nearly 40 representatives from organizations including the Moscow Department of Labour and Social Welfare and the Russian Clinical and Research Center of Gerontology. Nearly 700 Chinese and international guests attended the event.

The Expo fully implemented the national strategy to actively respond to population ageing and the work arrangements set out in the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan on improving the mechanism for coordinated development of elderly care undertakings and the elderly care industry, and on vigorously developing the silver economy. Focusing on the diversified trends and integrated development of elderly care services during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the Expo featured ten exhibition areas: international elderly care service brands, domestic elderly care service brands, the new AI-powered smart elderly care ecosystem, elderly care talent training, health and wellness tourism, age-friendly environments and equipment, silver economy services, nutrition for older persons, daily necessities for older persons, and “human-machine-space” future elderly care experience. With 190 booths and more than 290 exhibitors, the Expo also held 14 exchange sessions and related activities to explore new pathways and models for the development of the elderly care service industry, contributing wisdom and strength to promoting the high-quality development of elderly care services in China and actively responding to population ageing.

At the opening ceremony, Wu Yushao, President of the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service, noted that the 12th China International Senior Services Expo, themed “Intelligent Leadership for a New Era of the Silver Economy, Jointly Building a New Future of Quality Elderly Care”, was held at the beginning of the 15th Five-Year Plan period and therefore carried an important mission and significance. This year’s Expo set up ten themed exhibition areas. Among them, the exhibition area on the new AI-powered smart elderly care ecosystem focused on the deep integration of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and other technologies with elderly care services, presenting cutting-edge achievements such as intelligent monitoring systems and rehabilitation robots. Wu Yushao stated that the Expo serves as a barometer of the industry. It should remain innovation-driven, empower quality elderly care with core technologies, uphold quality as the foundation to make services warmer and more humane, deepen coordination and cooperation, build a new exhibition ecosystem that “never closes”, jointly promote the high-quality development of the silver economy, and contribute more to opening a new chapter of elderly care services during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

国际老龄联合会秘书长格雷戈尔・斯内登致辞

Gregor Sneddon, Secretary General of the International Federation on Ageing, spoke highly of China’s forward-looking thinking and systematic measures in responding to population ageing. He noted that China’s exploration in integrated medical and elderly care, community-based care and smart elderly care has provided valuable experience for the world. He said that the International Federation on Ageing would continue to deepen its strategic cooperation with the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service. He also emphasized that population ageing is a global trend and called on the international community to further strengthen cooperation and work together to advance the goals of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing.

北京市民政局党组成员、副局长杨志伟致辞

Yang Zhiwei, Member of the CPC Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau, said that in actively responding to population

ageing, a defining issue of our times, Beijing would take this Expo as an opportunity to remain demand-oriented, strengthen market entities, and promote the transformation of elderly care services from basic provision to quality-oriented development. Beijing will also strengthen technological empowerment, leverage its advantages as a science and technology innovation center, cultivate new momentum for the silver economy, deepen cross-sector integration, build a new ecosystem of diversified participation, improve an inclusive and accessible elderly care service system, and contribute Beijing’s strength to actively responding to population ageing. 

At the main forum, Zheng Gongcheng, Member of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, Vice-Chairperson of the Central Committee of the China Democratic League, and President of the China Association of Social Security, delivered a keynote speech titled Accelerating the Improvement of the Old-Age Security System and Promoting the Sound Development of the Silver Economy. He stated that the silver economy is rooted in people’s wellbeing, with the purpose of ensuring that older persons can enjoy their later years and of contributing to common prosperity. He proposed optimizing the old-age security system and promoting the coordinated development of three major systems: pensions, elderly care services and long-term care insurance. He also called for pooling resources from all parties, using digital and intelligent technologies to empower the elderly care industry, and taking multiple measures to promote the stable and healthy development of the silver economy. Wang Hui, Second-Level Inspector of the Department of Elderly Care Services of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, systematically explained the top-level design for promoting the high-quality development of elderly care services during the 15th Five-Year Plan period in a speech titled Pooling Efforts for the New Journey of the 15th Five-Year Plan Period and Jointly Advancing the High-Quality Development of Elderly Care Services. Rahul Agarwal, Counsellor for Life Sciences and Healthcare at the Department for Business and Trade of the British Embassy Beijing, delivered a speech titled The UK’s Experience in Responding to the Challenges of Population Ageing, sharing the United Kingdom’s practices in integrated care systems, community service provision and healthy ageing. Ye Jianzhi, Director of the Elderly Care Services Division of the Department of Civil Affairs of Hunan Province, delivered a speech titled Vigorously Advancing Sanxiang Yiyang: Living in Hunan, Ageing with Ease, vividly presenting Hunan Province’s innovative measures to optimize elderly care service supply and promote balanced urban-rural development. Jojanneke Kraan, Counsellor for Health, Welfare and Sport at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in China, delivered a speech titled From Systems to Practice: The Netherlands’ Experience in Elderly Care and Dementia Care, systematically sharing the Netherlands’ mature models in dementia care, family support and interprofessional collaboration. Li Hao, Member of the CPC Leadership Group and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Civil Affairs of Hainan Province, delivered a speech titled Shaping “Ageing Well in Hainan” into a New Signature Brand and Driving New Growth in the Silver Economy, sharing practical explorations in developing the health and wellness industry in the context of the Hainan Free Trade Port. Lu Dan, Executive President of the Child Welfare and Protection Service Branch of the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service, introduced the “Caring for Older Adults and Children, Hand in Hand” Public Welfare Project and the Community Development Support Plan for Older Adults and Children. The main forum was moderated by Han Hua, Vice President of the China Association of Social Welfare and Senior Service.

During the Expo, four exchange sessions were also scheduled, namely the exchange session on the cluster-based training plan for highly skilled talent in elderly care, the second thematic exchange session on elderly care assessment, the thematic exchange session on “Technology for Older Persons, Intelligent Leadership for the Future”, and the inaugural thematic exchange session on senior guardianship. In addition, 14 special activities were held, including the press conference for the “Qinglan Program” public welfare program for the growth and mentoring of young nursing home directors, the silver industry exchange session, and the Fenghuang Linfu Lecture Hall. Experts and scholars from China and abroad, heads of brand institutions, representatives of vocational colleges, and representatives of financial institutions engaged in in-depth discussions on the application of smart elderly care technologies, innovation in industry models, talent training systems and regional coordinated development.

领导巡展现场

More than 30 mainstream media outlets, including Xinhua News Agency, People’s Daily, China Central Television and Beijing Radio and Television Station, provided comprehensive coverage of the Expo. Media reports generally noted that this year’s Expo was large in scale, high in level and rich in highlights. It showcased the latest achievements in the reform and development of China’s elderly care services, and demonstrated the enormous potential and bright prospects of the silver economy.

外宾老博会合影