1.1.3 Population Aging in China

As displayed in Figure 1-5, in 1950 there were 544 million people in China, including 41 million people aged≥60 years, accounting for 7.5% of the total population. Thirty five years later in 1985, the number of elderly aged≥60 years doubled and reached 88 million. In 2000, this number reached 128 million, suggesting a three-fold increase compared with 1950, comprising 10.0% of the total population. Thus, China has become an aging society.

According to the fifth national population census data in 2000（Figure 1-6）, there were 1266 million people in main land China, including 652 million men（51.5%）and 614 million women（48.5%）. In this population, the proportion of people aged 0～14, 15～59 and people≥60 years was 22.9%, 66.6% and 10.5% respectively. In 2010，when the sixth national population census was undertaken, there were 1340 million people in main land China, including 687 million men（51.27%）and 653 million women（48.73%）. The proportion of people in these age groups changed to 16.6%（0～14 years）, 70.14%（15～59 years）and 13.26%（≥60 years）. In comparison with the fifth national census, the total population of main land China increased by approximately 7.3 million annually with an annual average growth rate of 0.57%; the proportion of those aged 0～14 decreased by 6.29%, while the proportion of those aged≥60 years increased by 2.93%.

In the Aging Development Forum of China in 2013 launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security of the People's Republic of China, the total number of elderly people aged≥60 years had exceeded 200 million. In recent years, a daily average 25000 elderly reached the age of 60 years in China. Population aging is therefore considered to be one of the most crucial demographic and social problems facing contemporary China.