Leveraging New Quality Productive Forces for China's Silver Economy Development: A Theoretical Case Study

Abstract

According to data from the seventh national population census in 2021, individuals aged 60 and above accounted for 18.70% of China's population, while those aged 65 and above constituted 13.50%, with the elderly dependency ratio reaching 22.5%. As of June 2025, the number of "silver-haired" internet users aged 60 and above had reached 161 million. Against the backdrop of accelerating population aging, developing the silver economy has become a crucial strategy for proactively addressing aging challenges. Silver-age new-quality productive forces represent a key driver and central entry point for advancing the silver economy. Through theoretical analysis, this paper clarifies the fundamental connotations of new-quality productive forces and the silver economy, and identifies existing issues within the current silver economy, including imbalances between supply and demand, uneven distribution of resources, insufficient talent reserves, and inadequate institutional frameworks. To address these challenges, the paper proposes that policies should adopt a dual-pronged approach, simultaneously advancing "supply-side structural reform" and "demand-side guidance," to resolve the structural contradiction characterized by "excess ineffective supply" and "insufficient effective demand." This study finds that to use new quality productive forces to grow China's silver economy, which could be worth 30 trillion yuan by 2035, we need to strengthen technological innovation ecosystems, set unified industry standards, and create targeted regulatory frameworks.