Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After Retirement
This study examines trends in working after retirement and its relationship to the wider policy and welfare state context in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Using a mixed methods approach, we first analyzed China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study data for 2011–2020 to identify trends an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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World Scientific Publishing
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Asian Development Review |
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| Online Access: | https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0116110525500209 |
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| author | CHRISTINA MAAGS JINGWEN ZHANG |
| author_facet | CHRISTINA MAAGS JINGWEN ZHANG |
| author_sort | CHRISTINA MAAGS |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines trends in working after retirement and its relationship to the wider policy and welfare state context in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Using a mixed methods approach, we first analyzed China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study data for 2011–2020 to identify trends and individual- and household-level factors associated with working after retirement. We then examined how changes in the policy context shape older people’s economic participation over time, concluding with a discussion on the findings’ implications for the PRC’s social protection system. We argue that while mandatory retirement ages push certain older people out of the labor market, there is an increase in older people working beyond the retirement age, as opportunities to supplement pension income pull older people into the labor market. Yet, policymakers do not regulate this, pointing to a policy gap. Although an expanded labor force would reduce pressure on the PRC’s social protection system, it would also continue to reproduce preexisting socioeconomic inequalities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-830af49a0afe4c2e88b2913f07f440b0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0116-1105 1996-7241 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | World Scientific Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Asian Development Review |
| spelling | doaj-art-830af49a0afe4c2e88b2913f07f440b02025-08-20T03:51:14ZengWorld Scientific PublishingAsian Development Review0116-11051996-72412025-06-01420211114610.1142/S0116110525500209Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After RetirementCHRISTINA MAAGS0JINGWEN ZHANG1University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United KingdomUniversity of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomThis study examines trends in working after retirement and its relationship to the wider policy and welfare state context in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Using a mixed methods approach, we first analyzed China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study data for 2011–2020 to identify trends and individual- and household-level factors associated with working after retirement. We then examined how changes in the policy context shape older people’s economic participation over time, concluding with a discussion on the findings’ implications for the PRC’s social protection system. We argue that while mandatory retirement ages push certain older people out of the labor market, there is an increase in older people working beyond the retirement age, as opportunities to supplement pension income pull older people into the labor market. Yet, policymakers do not regulate this, pointing to a policy gap. Although an expanded labor force would reduce pressure on the PRC’s social protection system, it would also continue to reproduce preexisting socioeconomic inequalities.https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0116110525500209labor market participationpolicy contextsocial protection systemsocioeconomic inequalitiesworking after retirement |
| spellingShingle | CHRISTINA MAAGS JINGWEN ZHANG Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After Retirement Asian Development Review labor market participation policy context social protection system socioeconomic inequalities working after retirement |
| title | Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After Retirement |
| title_full | Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After Retirement |
| title_fullStr | Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After Retirement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After Retirement |
| title_short | Active Aging in the People’s Republic of China: A Case Study of Working After Retirement |
| title_sort | active aging in the people s republic of china a case study of working after retirement |
| topic | labor market participation policy context social protection system socioeconomic inequalities working after retirement |
| url | https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S0116110525500209 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christinamaags activeaginginthepeoplesrepublicofchinaacasestudyofworkingafterretirement AT jingwenzhang activeaginginthepeoplesrepublicofchinaacasestudyofworkingafterretirement |