What Exactly Does the Law Require?
The relevant provision was introduced into the PRC Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly in 2013, according to Mediafax. Article 18 requires family members to take into account the emotional needs of older adults and to ensure that these needs are not ignored or neglected.
For those who live apart from their parents, the wording is more specific: they must visit them frequently or stay in touch with them. The law also requires employers to respect employees’ right to take leave to visit relatives in accordance with applicable regulations.
However, the law does not establish a universal schedule. It does not require, for example, visiting once a month or calling every week. This is precisely why specific requirements may be determined in the context of a legal dispute.
A court may set a schedule for visits
Such cases have indeed been heard in China. In one of the first widely publicized trials following the law’s enactment, the court ordered a woman and her husband to visit her 77-year-old mother at least once every two months and on holidays.
In other words, this is not an automatic fine for a missed visit. A parent must initiate proceedings, after which the court assesses the circumstances and may order the child to fulfill their legal obligations.
In addition to emotional support, the law requires children to provide for their elderly parents and assist them in daily life. This is especially important if the parent is ill or unable to care for themselves.
Why This Has Become a Problem for China
Behind this unusual legal provision lies a massive demographic challenge. By the end of 2025, China had 323.38 million people over the age of 60—23% of the population. The number of people aged 65 and older reached 223.65 million.
At the same time, millions of young Chinese have moved from small towns and rural areas to major cities in search of work. Parents and children found themselves separated by hundreds and thousands of kilometers, and the traditional extended family model began to break down.
The situation was exacerbated by the legacy of the one-child policy: in many families, a single adult child must simultaneously support two parents and assist other elderly relatives. At the same time, China’s population is shrinking: by 2025, it had decreased by another 3.39 million people.
An Attempt to Turn Tradition into an Obligation
The law has effectively codified what has been perceived for centuries as a moral duty: filial piety and care for elders.
However, this approach has an obvious limitation. Financial obligations can be enforced through the courts, but compelling a person to sincerely care for their parents is much more difficult. Therefore, the Chinese model remains more of a tool for protecting the rights of the elderly than a mechanism capable of guaranteeing them the attention of their own children.
And it is precisely the aging of the population that is making this issue for China less of a family matter and more of an economic and social one.
