China population: 100 million more senior citizens expected in next decade as ageing crisis enters ‘crucial juncture’
- Number of citizens aged over 60 in China is expected to expand by an average of 10 million per year over the next decade
- Over 38 per cent of the population is also expected to be aged over 60 by 2050, adding to concerns over the state pension fund, elderly care facilities and medical services
China’s ageing society problem will accelerate over the next decade, with the number of citizens aged over 60 expanding by an average of 10 million per year, according to a leading demographer, adding further strain to the state pension fund, elderly care facilities and medical services.
The acceleration will push the number of senior citizens to 520 million by 2050, or 37.8 per cent of the population, according to Renmin University of China vice-president Du Peng.
China had 209.78 million people aged over 65 last year, accounting for 14.9 per cent of the population, up from 200 million in 2021, according to official data.
The coming decade from now on is the most crucial juncture for China to actively respond to the aging population
“The coming decade from now on is the most crucial juncture for China to actively respond to the aging population,” Du said in an interview with Tencent Finance last week.
It is already struggling to pick up its sluggish economic momentum, with a vanishing demographic dividend – when the labour force is large and both ends of the demographic curve are much smaller – and increasing pension pressures further complicating recovery efforts.
Pensions overtook family support for the first time as the main source of financial income for China’s elderly population in 2020, which Du considers as an “active signal”.