Editorial | Silver lining in China’s ageing population shouldn’t be overlooked
Increase in life expectancy affirms Beijing’s commitment to boosting healthcare standards and presents economic opportunities
Average life expectancy in 2015 was 76.3 years. Raising it to 79 over the ensuing 10 years was a huge achievement, given China’s population and the socio-economic challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the same time, the population has declined for three consecutive years to 2024, for the first time in decades, and more than 21 per cent, or about 300 million people, are over 60 years of age.
China is now ranked 10th for life expectancy among the Group of 20 countries and outperforms others in the same income basket. It is one of the very few that reports improvements every year. This is largely attributable to a combination of investment in public healthcare, poverty alleviation programmes and improved health awareness among the population.
Looking ahead, rising life expectancy presents numerous opportunities for China as well as the challenges of a huge ageing population. Artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming the workforce landscape, enabling people to extend their working years. While automation may displace certain jobs, it also raises demand for elderly care services.
This shift leads to a growing investment in facilities and infrastructure catering to the ageing population, often referred to as the “silver economy”.