China turns to humanoid robots to address ageing population challenge

Guidelines issued by the Chinese govt state that the country will promote the development of humanoid robots, brain-computer interfaces, and AI tech specifically designed for elderly care

China is gearing up to give elderly care a futuristic twist — say hello to robot caregivers. As part of new policy initiatives aimed at tackling the country’s demographic challenges, the Chinese State Council announced on Tuesday that humanoid robots are set to join the elderly caregiving team. With this policy, China positions itself among the first nations to formalise the use of advanced robotics in high-tech caregiving.

 

The new guidelines were issued on December 30, 2024 by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council. These guidelines state that the country will promote the development of humanoid robots, brain-computer interfaces, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies specifically designed for elderly care.

 

 

This strategy is part of China’s broader plan to accelerate technological integration into senior services and support significant scientific and technological projects in this sector.

 

Why humanoid robots for caregiving?

In its release, the Chinese government mentioned that humanoid robots were capable of advanced human-robot interaction capabilities. These are rapidly advancing and show considerable promise in fields such as healthcare and home services.

 

However, other measures such as adopting intelligent home systems, as well as, developing services aimed at early warning and prevention of safety risks in home-based elderly care are also a priority.

 

Additionally, the government plans to establish a unified national elderly care information platform to better align service supply with the growing demand. This platform will play a crucial role in streamlining and enhancing the delivery of elderly care services.

 

Aging population and life expectancy in China

China’s ageing population is one of the fastest-growing in the world. By the end of 2023, the country recorded 216.76 million people aged 65 and above, making up 15.4 per cent of the total population. However, the availability of elderly care facilities remains limited, with only 8.2 million beds for elderly care services nationwide.

 

Research on humanoid robots in China

Local authorities are also advancing the use of humanoid robots.

 

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, Beijing’s Municipal Science and Technology Commission recently outlined an action plan through 2027, focusing on the deployment of robots in caregiving roles such as emotional companionship, health monitoring, and intelligent household services. 

 

Similarly, Wuhan in Hubei province has introduced humanoid robots for senior assistance. These robots are equipped with 3D facial scanning and modelling technology. 

 

Shanghai has also issued China’s first governance guidelines for humanoid robots last year, which call for risk controls and international collaboration in the field.

 

People aged 60+ to double by 2050 in Asia Pacific

Ageing population is not an isolated issue in China. It has been a growing concern in the Asia Pacific region.

A report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) released in May last year noted that developing Asia and Pacific are not prepared to ‘secure the well-being of its rapidly aging population’. The number of people aged over 60 is set to double to 1.2 billion by 2050. This would account for nearly a quarter of the population in the region.

 

“Asia and the Pacific’s rapid development is a success story, but it’s also fueling a huge demographic shift, and the pressure is rising... Governments need to prepare now if they’re going to be able to help hundreds of millions of people in the region age well,” ADB Chief Economist Albert Park said in the report.

 

India faces rapid ageing challenge too

The report also outlined issues surrounding access to healthcare, lack of pension, and physical and mental challenges faced by people over age 60. Meanwhile, India, which boasts the highest number of young people in its population, is not also immune to the issue.

 

According to a report released by the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, in December 2023, India also has a rapidly ageing population. The elderly population (aged 60+) in India stands at 153 million, with these figures expected to more than double to 347 million by 2050.