China is prioritizing protecting the rights of elderly workers and respecting their willingness to work as it began gradually raising the statutory retirement age on Wednesday.

从2025年1月1日起，中国开始渐进式延迟法定退休年龄。在此过程中，中国优先保障老年职工的权益，并尊重他们的工作意愿。

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued an interim guideline outlining operational measures for workers to choose their retirement age.

人力资源社会保障部、中央组织部、财政部三部门联合发布《实施弹性退休制度暂行办法》（以下简称《办法》），概述了职工选择退休年龄的操作措施。

The new policy stems from a decision approved by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in September to raise the statutory retirement age for men to 63 and for women to either 55 or 58, depending on their occupation.

该新政策源于9月《全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于实施渐进式延迟法定退休年龄的决定》（以下简称《决定》）。《决定》提出，依据职业性质，将男职工的法定退休年龄延迟到63周岁，将女职工的法定退休年龄延迟到55周岁、58周岁。

According to that decision, from Wednesday, male workers age 60 and female workers age 55 can ask for their retirement age to be extended one month every four months. Female workers who are 50 years old can ask for a one-month retirement extension every two months. By doing so, the retirement ages will increase to 63 for men and 55 or 58 for women in 15 years.

根据《决定》，从2025年1月1日起，60周岁男职工和55周岁女职工可每4个月申请延长退休年龄1个月。50周岁女职工可每2个月申请延长退休年龄1个月。这样一来，15年后，男职工退休年龄将延迟至63周岁，女职工将延迟至55周岁、58周岁。

The guideline excludes those who reached the previous statutory retirement age before Tuesday.

2024年12月31日前已经达到原法定退休年龄的人员，不适用本《办法》。

Once the age increase is fully implemented, workers will be able to voluntarily retire up to three years earlier than the new statutory age, provided they have met the minimum pension contribution requirement, which is currently 15 years but will gradually rise to 20 years by 2030.

一旦延迟退休政策全面实施，职工达到养老金最低缴费年限（目前为15年，从2030起将逐步提高至20年），可以自愿选择比新法定退休年龄提前3年退休。

However, workers cannot retire before the previous statutory retirement age, which is 50 or 55 for women and 60 for men.

但是，职工退休年龄不得低于原法定退休年龄，即女职工50周岁、55周岁，男职工60周岁。

Those who choose early retirement must notify their employers in writing at least three months before their chosen retirement age.

职工自愿选择提前退休的，至少在本人选择的退休时间前3个月以书面形式告知所在单位。

Workers wishing to delay retirement once they reach the statutory ages must agree with their employers in writing at least one month in advance, with a limit of a three-year postponement.

职工达到法定退休年龄后希望延迟退休的，至少提前1个月与所在单位达成书面协议，且延迟退休时间不得超过3年。

Civil servants, senior executives in State-owned enterprises and government officials must retire once they reach the new statutory retirement age, according to the guideline.

《办法》规定，公务员、国有企事业单位领导人员及其他管理人员，达到新的法定退休年龄时应当及时办理退休手续。

Employers are required to maintain the same rights and benefits for workers who postpone retirement, including social insurance and labor relations. Workers can reverse their decision to postpone if they come to an agreement with their employers.

用人单位需保证延迟退休的职工享有相同的权益和福利，包括社会保险和劳动关系。职工与所在单位协商一致，可以终止延迟退休。

The guideline underscores the importance of respecting individuals' working preferences and ensuring that retirement decisions are voluntary. It prohibits employers from pressuring workers into retirement decisions against their wishes.

《办法》强调，要充分尊重职工意愿，确保其退休决定出于自愿，并禁止用人单位强制职工做出违背自身意愿的退休决定。

Experts have welcomed the guideline. Zhao Zhong, dean of the School of Labor and Human Resources at the Renmin University of China in Beijing, said the specific measures included in the guideline will help the public and employers understand and implement the nation's policy on raising the retirement age.

专家对《办法》的实施表示欢迎。北京中国人民大学劳动人事学院院长赵忠表示，《办法》中的具体措施将有助于公众和用人单位理解并执行国家关于延迟退休年龄的政策。

"It has very detailed rules and measures on how to retire in advance or postpone retirement, which is a positive response to people's concerns about labor relations and working rights protections related to postponing retirement, showing greater respect for people's working willingness and rights," he said.

他说：“《办法》对于如何提前或延迟退休制定了非常详细的规则和措施，积极回应了人们关于保障与延迟退休相关的劳动关系和工作权益的关注，体现了对人们工作意愿和权利的更大尊重。”

Li Chang'an, a professor from the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said the guideline is an explanation of the retirement decision made by the Standing Committee of the NPC in September, which highlights the "voluntary and flexible" principles of the retirement policy.

北京对外经济贸易大学国家对外开放研究院教授李长安表示，《办法》是对9月《全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于实施渐进式延迟法定退休年龄的决定》的解释，突出了退休政策的“自愿和灵活”原则。