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Article: Plans afoot to help ageing China
- Article from:
- China Daily
- Article date:
- October 28, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2004 China Daily. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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China is undeniably ageing, and to meet the needs of the growing
number of the elderly, special policies will need to be put in place.
In fact, the country's economic hub Shanghai is leading the march
towards old age, with the largest population of pensioners in the
country.
As early as 1979, when the country's economic take-off had just
begun, Shanghai had become an "aged society" according to the United
Nations (UN) criterion, with 7.2 per cent of its population at 65
years old or above. The UN benchmark is 7 per cent.
Since 1993, Shanghai has seen its population growth stagnate and
decline.
The national scenario is no less serious.
About 7 per cent of China's population is currently 65 or ...