Aging of China

China's population pyramid, 2023 to 2100, as projected by the United Nations in 2022

China's population is aging faster than almost all other countries in modern history.[1][2] In 2050, the proportion of Chinese over retirement age will become 39 percent of the total population according to projections. China is rapidly aging at an earlier stage of its development than other countries. Current demographic trends could hinder economic growth and create challenging social issues in China.[1]

In 1979, the Government of China established a controversial one-child policy aimed at curbing the high fertility rate.[3] With economic development, the provision of social services, and improved welfare conditions, life expectancy in China has also increased.[4] These two factors have directly contributed to China's aging population, which has significant ramifications on China's society, politics, and economy.[5][6][7] In October 2015, a two-child policy was introduced in an attempt to deal with the aging problem.[8] In May 2021, the Chinese government introduced the three-child policy in a further attempt to address the issue.[9] In July 2021, all family size limits as well as penalties for exceeding them were removed.[10]

The National Bureau of Statistics of China reported that total Chinese population decreased by 2.08 million in 2023, with the death rate reaching the highest level since 1974.[11]

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  2. ^ Kapadia, Reshma (September 7, 2019). "What Americans Can Learn From the Rest of the World About Retirement". Barron's. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  3. ^ Matsangou, Elizabeth (November 20, 2017). "China suffers ageing population nearly 40 years after introduction of one-child policy". www.worldfinance.com. Archived from the original on 2019-05-10. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
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  5. ^ Moran, Andrew; Zhao, Dong; Gu, Dongfeng; Coxson, Pamela; Chen, Chung-Shiuan; Cheng, Jun; Liu, Jing; He, Jiang; Goldman, Lee (November 27, 2008). "The future impact of population growth and aging on coronary heart disease in China: projections from the Coronary Heart Disease Policy Model-China". BMC Public Health. 8: 394. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-394. ISSN 1471-2458. PMC 2631484. PMID 19036167.
  6. ^ Breslin, Shaun (2012). "Socialist Insecurity: Pensions and the Politics of Uneven Development in China. By Mark W. Frazier. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2010. 224p. $35.00. - Remade in China: Foreign Investors and Institutional Change in China. By Scott Wilson. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. 304p. $65.00". Perspectives on Politics. 10 (1): 198–200. doi:10.1017/S1537592711004622. ISSN 1537-5927.
  7. ^ Banister, Judith; Bloom, David E.; Rosenberg, Larry (2012), Aoki, Masahiko; Wu, Jinglian (eds.), "Population Aging and Economic Growth in China", The Chinese Economy, Palgrave Macmillan UK, pp. 114–149, doi:10.1057/9781137034298_7, ISBN 9781137034281
  8. ^ Zeng, Yi; Hesketh, Therese (October 2016). "The effects of China's universal two-child policy". The Lancet. 388 (10054): 1930–1938. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31405-2. PMC 5944611. PMID 27751400.
  9. ^ "China allows three children in major policy shift". BBC News. 31 May 2021. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  10. ^ Cheng, Evelyn (2021-07-21). "China scraps fines, will let families have as many children as they'd like". CNBC. Archived from the original on 2023-01-28. Retrieved 2022-04-29.
  11. ^ Master, Farah (January 17, 2024). "China's population drops for 2nd year, raises long-term growth concerns". Reuters. Retrieved January 17, 2024.