China's ageing population: Can the country afford to grow old? | BBC News

China's leaders are trying to find ways to battle what many economists have described as a demographic ticking time bomb.

A slowing economy, shrinking government benefits and a decades-long one-child policy have created a creeping demographic crisis in Xi Jinping's China.

The pension pot is running dry and the country is running out of time to build enough of a fund to care for the growing number of elderly.

Over the next decade, about 300 million people, who are currently aged 50 to 60, are set to leave the Chinese workforce.

So can China afford to grow old?

#BBCNews

[TGWazoo]

Declining birth rates seem to be a complaint for every industrialized nation. The fear of not having enough people to tax.

[angrengcapa]

China, Korea and Japan are facing same issues.

[guest]

2:52 - 2:57, It was the biggest gangsta move i have ever seen in my entire life.

[jeffphoenix]

Get old before geting rich, a disaster

[tombassman]

I just found out aging has two spellings (ageing for UK, aging for US).

[hughw]

If you're old and can't afford to get sick, why are you smoking😂

[cosmicwanderer]

China is fine with lower population.
1.4 billion was very high. So the population is in the process of decreasing, this was inevitable.
Lower population growth is sign of progress of a civilization.
Lesser population will require lesser land, resources and services.

[pipiqiqi]

one more important is the pension dispense is unfair for the elderly in rural area. the elderly in cities can get more than 3000 RMB per month after they retired, but the elderly in the rural area, all of them are farmers, only can get 120 RMB per month. these farmers had done a huge contribution for food supply during the tough time in 1960s and 1970s, but when they are old, they just can get 120 RMB per month. however, compared with the old farmers, the government staffs, they can get 7000-10000 RMB per month after they retired. it is disgusting how this country treat their farmers who had paid lots of grains to the country freely for bring up the whole nation.

[NoWindNoSunNoPower]

They need lots of young, diverse engineers, doctors and scientists. I know where they can get them.

[dangkung]

More than 400milion people are over 65 year of ages.

[roville]

Sure they can. Are we forgetting about the millions of the Chinese population living abroad? They're not idiots, they know exactly what they're doing 😆

[Jm]

Sure economists knew this when they introduced the one child policy anyway... why state the obvious 😬

[solidorsharp]

It’s getting similar in USA also. Many are in denial or age discrimination is being ignored. First Generation millennials are discussing this currently. Our elderly isn’t. The youth aren’t either.

[zztissue]

Why does the BBC always say ‘COMMUNIST China’? Maybe you should also say ‘Communist Vietnam’ every time you mention Vietnam. Or even better, ‘Imperialist America’.

[TheGuitarded]

This is a natural occurrence in every developed and advanced society with a modern infrastructure and economy.

[garethxue]

While automation being implemented widely, decrease of population won't be issue for the country. While UK should care its own business, Scotland, Northern Ireland, weekly strikes, soaring prices, ...

[Sjalabais]

The urban/rural divide remains one of the biggest issues. These rural grandparents also often had two sets with kids, their own and their grand kids. Now they rely on reciprocal care...from offspring that has long left.

[mustbeaweful]

I think it likely that a lot of countries are going to compete more for immigrants to fill the void.

[hourbee]

A lesson about letting government have too much control

[liurepeak]

Could UK afford to go old for decades already ?