From Knight Ridder Newspaper:
A recent wintry day found hundreds of retirees at one of Beijing’s principal parks. Some sang Chinese folksongs in impromptu choruses. Others kicked a little foot shuttlecock back and forth. One large group practiced outdoor ballroom dancing.
If the parks and plazas of major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai seem to contain more elderly people than youngsters these days, it’s because city populations are aging. China’s two largest cities have crossed a threshold: Both have more retirees 60 and older than children under age 15.
The trend is only beginning. China soon will face a rapid increase in its elderly population. Experts describe the forecasts as staggering. China now has 134 million people 60 and older. By 2020, projections foresee 240 million. By the middle of the century, China will cap out at 400 million to 450 million people 60 and older.
