2022年1月19日
Brian Wong
EJ Insight
China's ageing population and structural solutions
China has an ageing population problem. This proposition requires some unpacking – more precisely, there are two sub-propositions to consider:
The first, is that China's population is "ageing" – measured, usually, by an examination of the ratio or proportion of individuals aged 60/65 or above, as juxtaposed against the rest of the population.
The second, is that such a demographic trend poses problems for China – in short, it "has a problem" when it comes to its population structure; such a problematic warrants proper and structural redress.
Both propositions are true. To the first, note that China's population aged 60+ is anticipated to increase to nearly 500 million by the middle of the century (38% of the total population), from the 264 million in the status quo. Recently published statistics reveal that China has clocked amongst the lowest population growth rates on record – as the country enters into what Chinese demographers have termed a "zero-growth" period. The slowing population growth, induced by declining propensities of procreation (a fancy way of saying, folks are unwilling to have kids), is in turn a primary causal explanation for China's ageing population – alongside, of course, the much-improved lifespan and quality of life for Chinese citizens as the country continues to develop socioeconomically. ...
（節錄）
