BEIJING -- China's decision to gradually raise statutory retirement age took effect Wednesday, the first adjustment in over 70 years as the country proactively addresses population aging.

Chinese lawmakers voted to adopt the decision in September. The statutory retirement age for men will be gradually raised from 60 to 63 in the course of 15 years starting Jan 1, 2025, while that for women cadres and women blue-collar workers will be raised from 55 to 58 and from 50 to 55, respectively.

Starting 2030, the minimum year of basic pension contributions required to receive monthly benefits will be gradually raised from 15 years to 20 years at the pace of an increase of six months annually.

Meanwhile, people will be allowed to voluntarily retire by no more than three years in advance after reaching the minimum year of pension contributions.

The new policies will also allow individuals to postpone retirement to an even later date if they reach an agreement with employers, but such a delay should be no more than three years.

Behind the reform are four major changes in China's population structure: increased life expectancy, more years of schooling, deepening aging and a decline in working-age population.

The average life expectancy in China has reached 78.6 years, the latest data showed. Official data also showed that China has entered a moderately aging society. There were 297 million people aged 60 or above in the country at the end of 2023, accounting for 21.1 percent of the total population.

According to projections, the number of people aged 60 or above in China will surpass 400 million around 2035, accounting for over 30 percent of the total.

In line with the retirement reform and the overall demographic trend, China has been making a series of policy adjustments in multiple fields.

According to revised regulations that took effect Wednesday, the maximum age limit for applying for a medium or heavy bus or truck driver's license has been raised from 60 to 63.

China is also stepping up elderly care initiatives. At a national conference on civil affairs on Monday, officials outlined progress in boosting home-based care, nursing facilities and protection for seniors in 2024 as well as new measures for 2025.

In 2024, the central government allocated 300 million yuan (about $41 million) to support elderly meal assistance programs nationwide while additional initiatives helped set up 358,000 in-home care beds.