A retiree from Sichuan province, who lives with his children in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, has to go back to Sichuan every year to prove that he is alive to receive his pension, People's Daily reported on Friday.

Tang Mingzhu, used to work in Sichuan, and now lives with his children in Suzhou. However, he has to return to Sichuan, a journey of more than 1,000 km, every July to get certified to collect his pension.

According to the Social Insurance Center of Jiangsu province, many retired people face similar problems but insist this has to be done because of fraud, especially where families claim for deceased relatives.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security are tackling the problem by focusing on online certification systems for retired people.