Government, Investors and Business Leaders Meet in Beijing to Address China’s Aging Issues

SINGAPORE, April 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- From the 24th to the 27th of May 2011, retirement industry leaders from China and the rest of the world will meet at Retirement Living World China 2011. The event will be hosted by China Association of Social Workers and in partnership with IMAPAC.

With over 167 million people above the age of 60 years old, the senior population of China is greater than the entire population of Germany and France put together. Among which 18.99 million are over the age of 80, but the estimated number of retirement home beds to cater for this increasingly aged population only comes to 2.77 million. This discrepancy between retirement village capacity and potential market demand of the aged population means that many more retirement homes and villages will need to be built.

To handle this increasingly pertinent aging problem in China, the Chinese government has come up with a package of incentives this January to encourage private developers to share some of the burden. This action seems to be baring fruits as giant real-estate developers Vanke and Poly announced their intentions to enter China's retirement living industry, shortly after insurance giant PICC made the same move.

With new players attempting entry into a new market, partnership activities are forecast to grow. The recent tie-up of Shandong Taishan Real Estate and Time Sharing Holdingsare a good example.

Recognizing the industry's needs and supported by China Association of Social Workers, Retirement Living World China is slated to bring together a distinguished panel of speakers including top minds from The Chinese Government, Chinese and International retirement village developers, aged care operators, NGOs and other key stakeholders to address challenges and explore opportunities.

Participants will discuss business strategies, market trends, partnerships models, investments and financing opportunities to facilitate success in China's retirement industry. Meanwhile, successful case studies, lessons learnt regulations, government incentives and best practices will be shared by key speakers from across 5 continents. Debates and open forum discussions on hot topics such as how to increase the cultural acceptance of retirement living in China will also be staged.

Key speaking faculty include: Qingchun Yan, Deputy Director of China National Committee on Aging,  Kevin Ryan, Managing Director of Waterbrook Lifestyle Resorts, Mark Spitalnik, Founder and CEO of China Senior Care International, Charles Marshall, Managing Director of Merrill Gardens (China), Norah Barlow, CEO of Summerset Retirement Villages, Xue Yao, President of Le-Amor, Hou Yong Jie, CEO of Shandong Taishan Real Estate, WTJ Rauch, CEO of CPOA, Kai Ti Zhang, Director of China Research Center on Aging and Fengbo Zhu, President of  Beijing Sun Cities Group, and many more.

Cross cultural understanding and partnerships will be formed at Retirement Living World China 2011. This will further add to the momentum that China's retirement industry is enjoying and fastern the steps China is taking to improve the living standards of its seniors.

For more information please visit: http://www.imapac.com/index.php?page=retirementlivingworldchina2011

SOURCE IMAPAC Ltd