On board the “Silver Train”, China's retirees do a little to compensate for Trump's rates

Beijing insists that he will stand firmly in front of Donald Trump's tariffs for Chinese goods. He tries to reassure everyone that the country is strong and the economy is sustainable enough to withstand this last storm.

But this week, Chinese officials acknowledged the potential for economic pain as a result of the unfolding trade war with the United States.

One of the opportunities for policy creators here is to try to increase domestic consumption in order to compensate for lost export revenue.

China has a huge population and if they start buying more things, Chinese companies will not have to rely so much on trade abroad.

The main goal of this endeavor is retirees with a potentially decades of savings.

Now the government wants them to spend some of them – the good of the country.

And initiatives like the Silver Trains – which are adapted specifically for older travelers – are intended to do just that.

On board the Star Express, the cocktails are poured and the karaoke microphone is transmitted around, as pensioners are treated through the southwestern province of Yunnan in China.

The roasted goose is swallowed by Bajiu shots, Chinese white spirit alcohol.

“We have been working hard all these years,” says 66-year-old Daniel Ling, who travels with a group of retired or semi-retired friends.

“The important thing when we reach this age is to know what is the right thing – and it's really to enjoy life.”

The initiative hopes to turn an economic problem into an economic solution by giving the elderly fun alleys to spend more.

Families do not spend enough because they do not feel financially safe – the property crisis has reduced the value of their number one asset: their home. And growing unemployment is also potentially to do your job less secure.

Add to the mixture for an aging population and low births and the share of pensioners is increasing every year, making it difficult to support the economy.

But what retirees have is time for their hands and money to spend.

So now they need to be given more opportunities to scatter with special trains designed to take them to sites that may not usually visit – parts of the country further that need a financial shot in the hand.

“The main places where silver trains will stop are undeveloped rural areas or small towns with economies,” says Dr. Huang Huang, a research associate at the Chinese Academy of Tourism that studies the potential impact of this plan.

“They will consume different products on trains, but once they enter the station, they will also visit tourist attractions and traditional villages.”

In Baisha, travelers stop at the modest street stalls at the bottom of the old, two -storey, wooden houses built by the local ethnic minority Naxi.

One of them approaches a seller selling barbecue strips of cool meat. They look delicious and she buys a bag. The seller's husband, who also works in the stall, says that this business is only one year old and that they need external customers to survive.

All over this street you can get potatoes with spicy sauce, lamb skewers, fresh orange juice and traditional Naxi people.

This is a region where incomes are low and most young people leave when they reach a certain age because there is almost no work for them.

In addition, it is not an easy place to reach many retirees, but these silver trains make it possible, with easy access to upload and lighting and with staff to help, as well as additional medical attention, if necessary.

Shi Lily, 69 -year -old, whose granddaughter accompanies her, says that the traveling spirit of her youth is ignited: “When I was young, I liked to explore other places. Now I'm more adult, I have my family that can go with me.”

By the end of last year, 22% of China's population is over 60, representing over 310 million people.

So if only the smallest percentage of retirees in China accept “silver trains”, it can still mean millions of ticket sales. And the railway authorities in China say they plan to operate 100 routes within the next three years.

Such trips in themselves will not fix China's huge challenge with low consumer costs. But economists would say that these movements are a step in the right direction.

Older citizens now have a much more desire to travel than previous generations, creating “huge potential,” according to Dr. Huang.

“Considering that China's aging population is now a reality that comes in the long run – something that is unlikely for the inverted – we need to find more opportunities than that, not always make it a challenge.”

Returning to the train, the silver adventurers are ready to crash. And they can do this, knowing that their big day is – at least partly – for the benefit of everyone.

Then it's in the next city.