China's Ageing Dilemma

by Kim Walker 01 October 2009 18:18:16

It seems that the issue of China's rapidly ageing populations is stirring up a media debate in the papers and among bloggers.

This article in the Peoples Daily claims "Filial duty not a fig leaf for blemishes of old-age social security"

Some of the worrying highlights:

• China would probably be getting old before becoming rich. Statistics indicate the ageing of China's population will approach its peak by the year 2050, since China has crossed the threshold of the ageing society by the United Nations' criteria since 1999, and the population is still ageing at a speedy pace.
• For every five people older than 60 in the world, or every two in Asia, one is Chinese.
• In the following 25 years there will be one senior citizen for every four Chinese.
• By the end of 2004, Chinese over 60 years old had accounted for 10.97 percent of the nation's total population, and those older than 65, for 7.7 percent.
• The suicide rate among the rural Chinese elderly was 4-5 times higher than the world average
• When today's teenagers grow up, each of them will have responsibility for two parents and four grandparents. Referred to as the 4-2-1 problem.

Some bloggers have commented, if the adult children provided for their aged parents and fulfilled their filial duty, the well-being status of China's ageing population would not be so pressing a social problem.

Your Name * : Please enter your name

Email * : Please enter valid email

Comments * : Please enter your comment

Enter the code as you see it in the image, the code is case insensitive. * : Try a different image

  Please enter the code You entered code did not match.

 Submit  Reset

To keep up to date with new developments,
click here to register for our free newsletters.