Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu on Friday called for more efforts to improve the quality of life for China's elderly people.

China started to become an aging society in 1999, about five years before its population hit 1.3 billion in early 2005. As of the end of 2008, China has a elderly population of 160 million, accounting for 12 percent of the whole population.

Hui said the country's economic development has been seriously affected by the global financial turmoil, which has in turn has had a negative impact on the country's aging population.

To better serve senior citizens, Hui suggested the government build a sound guarantee social system to provide basic old-age insurance, medical insurance, and minimum living accommodations in both urban and rural areas -- especially for the disabled, poor and widowed.

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2009)