Collaboration among BRICS nations on the issue of aging could help boost global economic development and social welfare, according to a senior Chinese official.

Wang Jianjun, the director of China's National Committee on Aging, said all members of the bloc — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — share a common problem.

"They each have a huge and fast-growing aging population," he said. "This means they must strike a balance between aging and economic development. Successfully doing so will benefit economic development and social welfare, among the BRICS and beyond."

He was speaking at the first BRICS Meeting on Aging, which opened in Beijing on Wednesday. The event, attended by 100 representatives for the five countries, is themed "Building Consensus for Concerted Responses".

Wang, who said China has the world's largest aging population, urged BRICS nations to standardize and institutionalize cooperation on aging, and take each other's policies for reference.

Countries should also improve exchanges in skills, technologies and standards to boost development of public services and industries related to aging, he added.