Moreover, the increase in life expectancy in China in the next five years can also be translated into huge business opportunities. For instance, the China Institute for Reform and Development in South China's Hainan province has taken the lead in throwing open the country's first health management college, in which foreign partners are welcome to participate.

In Belgium, the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce is seeking to bring European experiences to senior citizens' training programs in China, while a famous company in the United Kingdom is expected to announce its plan to expand medi-care services in China soon.

New breakthroughs in medicine and healthcare are vital to increasing the longevity of people. And Chinese investors might already have noticed British scientists' recent announcement of being close to finding cures for some types of cancer. Such developments will not only help the growth of pharmaceutical and medi-care businesses but also reduce patients' agonies.

European high-tech companies' offer of providing solutions to air, water and soil pollution in China is also another example of how an increase in life expectancy can be translated into profitable business.

Also, as people live longer and get richer, they will travel more frequently, and by doing so they will help boost the profits of tourism companies across the world. Not only favorite tourist destinations like London, New York, Paris, Rome, Athens and Moscow, but also many offbeat and remote places have become part of Chinese tourists' itinerary.

So an aging population is not necessarily a burden for a country.

The author is deputy editor of China Daily European Edition. fujing@chinadaily.com.cn