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Carrying out investigations into the relationships between the satisfaction in old-age security and its influence factors is of great significance for safeguarding social fairness and justice. As powerful statistical tools in machine learning, the support vector machine (SVM) and back-propagation neural network (BPNN) algorithms are used to develop nonlinear estimation models for satisfaction in the old-age security in China. Five influence factors (educational background, educational satisfaction, satisfaction with family's financial situation, overall life satisfaction, society overall evaluation) were used as the input features. A SVM model obtained in this paper has prediction accuracies of 78.0% for the training set and 77.5% for the test, and a BPNN model possesses prediction accuracies of 77.8% and 77.0% for the two tests. Obviously, the SVM is superior to the BPNN in predicting satisfaction of old-age security in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies of East Asian welfare regimes focus on similarities between social security schemes. In contrast, this paper explores cross-national variations in public–private pension mixes in six welfare states: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. Our research echoes the pension policy analysis of international organisations but takes a step forward with emphasis on the historical and institutional characteristics of the respective pension systems. The analysis identifies three institutional patterns. First, the statist pension system (Taiwan and China) primarily relies on public pensions to provide old-age security, with private pensions playing a rather minor role. Second, in the dualist pension system (Japan and Korea) both public and private pensions work in parallel to ensure retirement income, though a clear security gap exists between workers in the formal and informal economies. Finally, the individualist pension system (Hong Kong and Singapore) is characterised by genuine fully funded individual accounts, emphasising citizens' own responsibilities for ensuring old-age security. These three types of pension systems demonstrate distinct institutional characteristics and policy outcomes, illustrated by the juxtaposition of their institutional structures as well as by the comparison of key indicators collected from government reports and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development statistics. The paper concludes with a theoretical reflection of East Asian pension policies and a diagnosis of the distinct challenges confronted by each of the various pension patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burden of support for the elderly, intergenerational relationships and value realization constitute three vital factors that will shape China's sustainable development in the future. These three issues translate themselves into the problem of “fewer producers and more consumers” in the field of economics, or intergenerational conflicts over distribution of resources and power and the issue of old people's value realization in the field of sociology. From the perspective of demography, old persons who are vulnerable as a result of family planning occupy an ever increasing proportion of the population, and China can expect to see a large number of “elderly people affected by family planning.” This concept has been formulated to draw the attention of government and government departments at all levels to the public benefit and welfare character of public services in population and family planning. Aging poses long-term and diverse challenges to a China that is getting old before it gets rich. In response to such challenges, this paper proposes a strategy of “successful aging” that foresees an old age of health, activity, harmony and happiness. In responding to population aging and the challenges it poses, Chinese society has developed a unique approach that combines tradition with modern elements. This approach may be summarized as being based on old age support by families, work units (collectives) and self-help, supplemented by the community, social welfare and philanthropy. The paper concludes with a brief review of the contributions in this special issue within the framework of “China's problem and China's choices.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]