University president says Hong Kong urgently needs to uncover healthy ageing process as it has become ‘super-ageing society’
2-MIN READ2-MIN ListenEmily HungPublished: 4:41pm, 8 Apr 2026Updated: 4:48pm, 8 Apr 2026The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has launched a five-year study into why Chinese people often enjoy long lifespans, and hopes to recruit 500 residents aged 90 or older for biomarker analysis using advanced blood testing technologies.
HKUST president Professor Nancy Ip Yuk-yu, who is leading the research, said Hong Kong urgently needed to uncover the healthy ageing process as it had become a “super-ageing society” in 2024 under United Nations standards, with more than 20 per cent of the population aged 65 or above.
“Once we understand the biological basis behind healthy longevity, we will have the opportunity to provide personalised methods to help delay ageing or promote a long and healthy life,” she said.
Ip added that the research team also aimed to establish a biological sample database specifically for long-lived Chinese individuals, which would lay a solid foundation for future medical research.
In 2024, the life expectancy of Hongkongers reached 84 years for men, and 88 years for women.
On a nationwide basis, China’s National Health Commission put the average lifespan at 79 years in 2024.
