Beds in China's nursing centers for the elderly have reached 4.94 million, according to Li Liguo, chief of the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) on Monday.

The number of beds is up nearly 20 percent from the 2012 figure, but there are still only 25 beds for every 1,000 senior citizens, said Li.

The number of people in China at or above the age of 60 hit 202 million by the end of 2013, making up nearly 15 percent of the total population, according to MCA data last month.

China's senior population is expected to exceed 300 million in 2025 and hit 30 percent by 2050.

Investment on social services for the elderly has grown quickly in past years, and the number of urban elderly service organizations has topped 70,000, while the rural figure neared 410,000. However, the coverage rate for these groups still lags behind the goals laid out in the Twelfth Five-year Plan, which stipulated that elderly groups should cover 95 percent and 80 percent of urban and rural areas, respectively, by 2015, said Li.

Government agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should provide more voluntary services for the elderly and encourage the elderly to actively participate in social activities and causes, Li said.

Li also stressed the importance of strengthening social security for the elderly and improving laws that protect the rights and interests of senior citizens.

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