China says it will accelerate the use of artificial intelligence and big data in elderly and social care as it bets on new technologies to drive economic growth, despite an ageing population. The comments were made at a press conference on the sidelines of the annual 'Two Sessions' political meeting in the capital Beijing. "We will accelerate the development and application of new technologies and products such as big data and artificial intelligence in the fields of social assistance, elderly care services and services for the disabled," Civil Affairs Minister Lu Zhiyuan says. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES