For the first time in its history, China now has more elderly people than children, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics last week. The proportion of people aged 65 and older rose to 23% of the working‑age population, surpassing the 22% share held by children aged 14 and under.
The new figures show that 223 million Chinese are 65 or older, making up nearly 16% of the country’s total population. In contrast, the number of children under 15 stands at about 213 million. These numbers are closely watched by economists and policymakers because they signal how China’s shrinking workforce may affect the world’s second‑largest economy and global growth.
China has long been preparing for an ageing society. The government has encouraged younger generations to marry and have more children, while also investing in pension and healthcare infrastructure. The latest data confirm that the country is now entering a “moderately ageing society,” a phrase used by the state‑controlled Global Times, which attributes the shift to past birth cohorts and increased life expectancy.
Experts warn that the demographic change could strain pension systems, healthcare provision and long‑term care services. At the same time, it opens opportunities in the “silver economy,” which caters to older consumers. Professor Stuart Gietel‑Basten of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology noted that the trend is “symbolic” and may lead to a reallocation of public spending from families and schools toward pensions and healthcare.
National University of Singapore sociology lecturer Mu Zheng added that the ageing population could limit China’s economic growth and reduce consumer spending power. He pointed out that the one‑child policy, which ran from 1980 to 2015, is believed to have prevented about 400 million births, a figure that has been contested but underscores the policy’s impact on the country’s demographic profile.
While the government has not issued official commentary on the new statistics, the data highlight the challenges and opportunities that come with a rapidly ageing population. Policymakers will need to balance the demands of an older citizenry with the economic imperative of sustaining growth in a changing global landscape.
Source: BBC World
Read the original article
Editorial note: This is an original news report prepared from the attributed source material with AI assistance. It is not a reproduction or translation of the original article.
