China home to 241 million old people: report
China is fast turning into an aging society as the number of people aged 60 and above has reached 241 million, accounting for 17.3% of the total population, officials said. A society with 10% of its population aged 60 or older can be referred to as an "aging society," Wu Yushao, deputy director of the National Working Commission on Aging said.
Number of seniors will peak around 2050 to 487 million
Wu said, since China first became an aging society in 1999, the number of people aged 60 or above has seen an increase of 110 million. It's estimated that the number of seniors will peak around 2050 to reach 487 million, 34.9% of the total population. The old age population growth has largely been attributed to the three decades old one-child policy.
China has stepped up nationwide education on aging
China has permitted couples to have two children since 2016. The country has also stepped up nationwide education on aging with the aim to raise citizens' awareness and called on the public to care for the elderly. Local governments are required to improve working mechanisms for promoting aging-related education, which has been incorporated into the annual work plans and performance evaluations of local governments.
