Chinese retirees living overseas will benefit from the new simplified rule on pension qualification status set by the government. (Photo : www.scmp.com/news)
Chinese retirees living overseas are expected to benefit from the simplified procedure for the renewal of their pension qualification status, as announced by social insurance administration officials, the China Daily reported.
Under the new rule, overseas retirees need not present retirement certificates to Chinese embassies or consulates to renew their status.
Formerly called "proof of living," the procedure has been renamed "pension qualification status check." It will also apply to foreign expatriates who have paid social insurance in China, the report said.
Lang Xinzhou, an official at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, said that the new procedure is part of new efforts to show respect to the retirees.
"We previously received many complaints from retirees, who said they did not feel they were being respected when they were required to present 'proof of living,'" Lang said.
As the number of Chinese migrating overseas increased, the central government issued in 1982 regulations to enable retirees to claim their pensions abroad. Since that time, the regulations have been revised several times. The new procedures, however, still require the renewal of status yearly.
According to the rule, a pensioner can delegate renewal of his status for the first three years if a pensioner's health would make it impossible for him/her to visit an embassy or consulate personally. Under the new procedure, however, pensioners must report in person for renewal in the fourth year.
"For us, it is important to prevent pension fraud, and these status reviews are part of those efforts," Lang said. He said that the social insurance officials find it difficult to check the status of many pensioners living overseas.
On social media, the issue of Chinese retirees being able to claim their pensions overseas has triggered debate. On Sina Weibo, a netizen named Aodaliya wrote: "China has many residents who are not covered by the pension system. The country needs to address the aging problem first before caring about those living overseas."
Yan Lixian, head of the pension division at the Social Security Ministry, assured that retirees can definitely claim their pensions from China's social security funds, whether they have changed their nationality or received a green card in other countries.
