The retirement age has triggered great public concerns recently in China after Wang Xiaochu, vice-minister of human resources and social security, said that the central government is researching the possibility of delaying the legal retirement age.

According to estimates, if the retirement age is put off by a year, the shortage of the social security fund could be alleviated by 20 billion yuan a year, according to a report by Guangzhou-based Yangcheng Evening News.

However, more than 90 percent of 200,000 participants polled in an online survey expressed their opposition to the delay, according to a report from Guangzhou-based Nanfang Daily.

"China's working population will stop growing by 2020 when it may face a shortage of labor, so it is inevitable we need to postpone the retirement age at a proper time to relieve pressure on young laborers," Peng said.

But the idea of delaying pensions or raising the retirement age worries many laborers who bear heavy workloads but are not paid much.

Miao Yang, a Shanghai-based editor, said she would prefer receiving a stable pension after retirement.

"Even if I continue working after retirement, I don't think I would receive a lot of money. I'd rather get my pension as soon as possible," she said.

She also said some government officials can enjoy high incomes by extending their working years, which is unfair compared with common workers.