On 25 June 2025, the EU SME Centre supported a working group meeting organised by the CSR Forum in the European Chamber, where policymakers and industry representatives gathered together to discuss China’s rapidly growing silver economy and opportunities for foreign investors.
The event opened with an in-depth interpretation of China’s new national policy document on the silver economy by Dr. Liu Shenglan, Associate Research Fellow at the Development Research Center of the State Council. Dr. Liu highlighted the government’s commitment to enhancing elder care services, expanding elderly-focused products, and encouraging international cooperation.
Following her speech, James Luo, Customer Success Leader at NielsenIQ, presented the evolving consumer behavior of China’s aging population, emphasizing the growing demand for health and wellness products, smart home technologies, and leisure services tailored to seniors.
In addition to the two presentations, industry representatives joined the panel discussion and explored the opportunities and challenges for foreign investors in this expanding sector.
Coco Liu, Corporate Social Responsibility, ESG & Sustainability Lead for Greater China at Philips, discussed the critical role of healthcare technology and innovation in addressing the needs of China’s aging population. She emphasized Philips’ focus on improving health and well-being through advanced medical technologies, especially in the areas of diagnostics, connected care, and personal health solutions.
Nick Guo, General Manager at Cisema Beijing Consulting, provided valuable insights on navigating China’s complex regulatory landscape. He discussed the challenges foreign companies face in entering China’s silver economy market, particularly about regulatory barriers. Nick explained that while there are substantial opportunities for foreign firms in healthcare, medical devices, and specialized eldercare products, navigating the approval processes, such as obtaining market approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) and the National Health Commission (NHC), is often a significant challenge.
