BEIJING - State Councilor Wang Yong wants better protection for elderly people's interests to ensure happy later years for everyone.

Old people are the wealth of our country, and caring for them is the common responsibility of the government and the whole of society, Wang, head of the China National Committee on ageing, said on Saturday. China's first Seniors Day falls on Sunday.

He said China should examine its strategy regarding an increasingly old population and push "silver" industries to meet the increasing demands of the old.

China's population above age 60 reached 194 million by the end of last year, and the figure is expected to exceed 300 million by 2025.

Wang urged authorities to make use of newly amended law for ensuring the interests of the elderly people.

He also asked nursing homes to improve their management.