As China's population of ages 60 and above surpassed 300 million in 2024, and the country faces rising demand for high-quality elderly care, international players are bringing global solutions to the market.
For thousands of years, filial piety has been a cornerstone of Chinese society. Traditionally, Chinese people express it by staying close to their aging parents.
But today, urban life and changing lifestyles are quietly reshaping that tradition, as more seniors express a desire to age with independence.
"I have stayed in both my son's and daughter's homes before. As I used to live alone, I never felt quite at ease living with them," said Dai Leyi, a care facility resident in Shanghai.
Seniors at the nursing home said, like many others, they once had doubts about moving into a facility - but later found this place warm and vibrant - nothing like what they had feared. They decided to stay.
"People here truly care for one another, and we really hit it off. Our relationships feel like a big family," another senior from the facility named Chen Jiejing said.
This facility is operated by a French elderly care group that has been in China for over a decade, drawing on more than 30 years of global experience.
A major domestic study on aging shows that over 40 million elderly Chinese are either fully or partially disabled. Around 15 million are living with dementia — often struggling with memory loss, emotional outbursts, and confusion.
As the senior population continues to grow, the demand for more professional elderly care is becoming increasingly urgent. And international providers, with their extensive experience, may offer valuable solutions.
In another facility, which is run by a Japanese company specializing in dementia care, located in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, caregivers say emotional support, tailored to each patient's condition, plays an important role in helping them improve.
Here, seniors are also encouraged to help one another and join group activities. These small acts help restore a sense of self-worth and belonging.
These approaches aren't new - they stem from decades of practice in countries that began aging earlier.
At the core of these foreign practices, they say, is a deep respect, not only for the seniors, but also for the staff who care for them.
"One of our biggest strengths is how we bring human-oriented values into everyday care. We've built a system that supports and empowers our staff. When they feel respected and valued, they naturally pass that warmth and respect on to the elderly," said Xing Shanshan, an official with the Chinese branch of the French elderly care group.
These institutions are part of a growing trend. In recent years, China has expanded its foreign investment catalogue to encourage overseas participation in the senior care sector.
"Services such as elderly care and medical care are the key areas of China's new round of high-level opening up. We have continuously expanded institutional opening up of rules, regulations, management and standards," said Zhao Jing, associate professor from the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission.
These policy changes reflect the government's commitment to expanding elderly care options and meeting the diverse needs of an aging population.
Today, filial piety remains at the heart of Chinese values still, and is now supported by modern systems, professional care, and communities.
More seniors are choosing for themselves how they want to grow old - enjoying their later years with freedom, with dignity, and with one another.
China transforms elderly care by blending tradition with global expertise
China's Qingming Festival holiday has turned flower viewing into a showcase of cultural heritage, drawing tourists and boosting local economies.
From references to "The Book of Songs", a treasured Confucian classic and China's oldest poetry collection, to longstanding flower festivals, organizers are promoting flower viewing as cultural tourism, weaving poetry and tradition into spring outings.
Hebi City in central China's Henan Province is drawing crowds with magnolias, tulips and crabapples, alongside 87 cherry blossom varieties. The blooms have become a major Qingming Festival attraction, prompting local authorities to pair tourism with cultural heritage.
As one of the birthplaces of The Book of Songs, Hebi has launched a campaign offering free entry to scenic spots for visitors who recite verses from the ancient classic. The initiative links flower viewing with a text long regarded as a cornerstone of Chinese literature.
In Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province, a park spanning 240 hectares, roughly the size of 330 football fields, is covered in blossoms, making it one of the largest spring displays in the region. The park uses smart drip irrigation to keep flowers hydrated and extend their peak season.
Originating in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), the Huazhao (Flower Deities) Festival in Xinzhou District of Wuhan boasts more than 800 years of history. Listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2011, it remains the largest folk celebration in eastern Hubei, drawing thousands of visitors each spring. A parade featuring 12 flower deities winds through the streets, anchoring the festival as both a cultural showcase and a tourism draw.
"The plum blossom represents noble character, the peach blossom radiant beauty. We hope more people will come to discover the Huazhao Festival," said Qinghuan, a performer portraying the Osmanthus Deity.
Outside the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan City, apricot trees are in full bloom. Their pale pink petals flutter in the breeze, lining the museum's corridors and echoing the deep history within. Visitors pause to photograph the unique blend of ancient architecture and fleeting spring beauty.
During the Qingming Festival holiday, the Beijing Garden of World's Flowers turned into a "spring palette." A nearly 2,000-square-meter sea of flowers burst into color. Against this floral backdrop, traditional experiences such as archery, tea whisking and movable-type printing drew crowds seeking a holiday filled with blossoms and cultural charm.
The garden features over 40 varieties of alpine and deciduous rhododendrons in shades of purple, pink and white, layered like clouds of silk. Along the flower-lined paths, colorful benches and ribbons create picture-perfect spots. Visitors wander, stop to admire, or raise their phones to capture a moment of spring romance.
"We hope these vibrant, contrasting floral colors bring a little healing and joy to people's lives, a space to relax and find peace amid the spring bloom," said Shi Wenfang, director of the Beijing Garden of World's Flowers. Beyond flower viewing, the garden is hosting its annual Huazhao Festival during the holiday. Now in its fifth year, the event has attracted nearly 300,000 visitors in total. The festivities run through April 6.
Falling on April 5 this year, the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival for honoring the deceased and paying tributes to ancestors. The three-day holiday from Saturday to Monday also provides a short break for Chinese citizens to enjoy outdoor activities and sightseeing in pleasant springtime temperatures.
Compiled between the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period (1100 B.C. - 476 B.C.), "The Book of Songs" contains at least 305 poems and is recognized as a Confucian classic.
Flower viewing draws holiday crowds across China during Qingming Festival
