CHINA – A Chinese law went into effect July 1 that requires children to care for their elderly parents, including regular visits and at the very least, phone calls. According to the official China Daily newspaper, the goal is “to protect the lawful rights and interests of parents aged 60 and older, and to carry on the Chinese virtue of filial piety.”
“Parents whose children live apart from them and fail to visit regularly can ask for mediation or file a lawsuit,” the newspaper says.
The government provides very limited assistance for the elderly and therefore, they are very reliant on family.