DIGITAL-SAVVY -CHINA- SILVER-HAIRED

Clockwise from top left: Fan Wenhao, a 69-year-old man in Urumqi,
 capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, pays with his
mobile phone at a grocery; Fan shows his mobile payment records;
Fan and his wife take a selfie at home. [Photo/Xinhua]

AMONG Chinese mobile Internet users, more than 50 million are seniors aged 50 and above, according to a recent report released by Internet service provider QuestMobile.

''New content, connections and lifestyles have popped up, buoyed by rapidly changing technologies,'' said Cheng Wu, vice president of Chinese Internet giant Tencent Holding Ltd, at a news conference in Beijing.

In a modern society, the Internet and digital technologies are tools that can convey and carry emotion. After retirement, seniors lack a proper social space. The Internet can open new world for them.''

CHINA : Economy maturing as growing numbers of elderly people are actively embracing the digital world as the economy booms.

Jhang Qiyuan's smartphone often beeps several times in a row. There is nothing she can do but turn off the notifications from short video and Douyin.

The constant beeping happens every time a viewer ''likes'' or comments on his short videos posted on the app. During this particular 15 second video, Jiang's grandparents, who are both just over 70 years of age, perform fashionable finger dances, for the beat of a popular song for the camera.

In less than a month, the video gained more than a million likes and over 60,000 comments on the platform.

'Previously, I had to persuade my grandparents to join in. After I told them they've gained a huge following online, they now always ask to be filmed,'' Jiang said.

After retiring, Jiang's grandmother had become an active member of her community . Whether playing waist drums or practicing fan dances, Jiang's grandfather is always there with her.

''Wearing dark colors on camera will give us more tired look. We make sure we look and feel great on camera so that the audience will focus on our main message,'' Jiang's grandmother said.

Growing numbers of elderly people are actively embracing the digital world as the digital-savvy silver-haired economy is booming.

The honor and serving of the latest operational research China, the elderly and social space, continues. The World  Students Society thanks author and researcher Ouyang Shijia.