Beijing Ageing One in three residents expected to be 60 or older by 2035

Beijing is expected to become a “super-aged” city by 2035, with around one-third of its population aged 60 or above, the state-run Beijing Daily has reported.

The projection highlights China’s growing demographic challenge as policymakers seek to encourage births, support older people and sustain economic growth.

Beijing had 5.29 million permanent residents aged 60 and above at the end of last year, accounting for almost a quarter of the capital’s population, the newspaper reported on Saturday.

The city government is expanding support for older residents, including an increase in the basic pension, according to the report.

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China’s population has been shrinking since 2022 and is ageing rapidly. The trend presents challenges for the government as it seeks to boost domestic consumption and manage rising debt.

Hundreds of millions of people are expected to leave the workforce over time, putting further pressure on pension budgets and the country’s labour supply.

China is also facing the economic consequences of low birth rates. Reuters estimates that policymakers could spend around 180 billion yuan ($26.92 billion) this year on measures aimed at encouraging births.

Demographers and economists warn that fewer children today could mean fewer households in the future, potentially slowing consumption growth and weakening a key source of economic demand.

The ageing population is therefore becoming a central concern for Chinese policymakers, who must balance support for older citizens with efforts to encourage families to have children and maintain long-term economic growth.