China's families now support more elderly than children, official data shows

The Chinese government reported that families in China are now supporting more elderly people than children, marking a significant demographic milestone, BBC Business reported.

Official data from China's National Bureau of Statistics indicates that the ratio of elderly dependents to the working-age population rose to 23% last year, surpassing the 22% ratio for children.

China has over 223 million people aged 65 and above, representing nearly 16% of the total population, while children aged 14 and under number about 213 million.

This demographic shift reflects the country's ageing population and has implications for families, pensions, and healthcare spending, according to analysts cited by the BBC.

Chinese state media noted that this trend results from factors such as the size of past birth cohorts and increased life expectancy, as China enters a moderately ageing society.

China has been encouraging younger generations to marry and have more children to address the shrinking workforce and its economic impact.