Aging in China: An International and Domestic Comparative Study

Abstract

This study investigates the age structure and aging process in China over the last two decades. Comparing internationally, we find that China’s aging status is currently moderate. However, its aging process is accelerating at a rate faster than that of developed countries and the other BRICS countries, but slower than other East Asian countries except for North Korea and Mongolia. Domestically, we find increasing divergence and spatial variations in the aging process across regions and between rural and urban sectors by applying spatial statistic comparisons using data from the China Statistical Yearbook. Results from the spatial econometrics model suggest that factors such as urbanization and regional GDP, but not population density, could deepen the urban–rural aging gap. The transition of the aging process over time, across regions, and between sectors could influence social and economic activity. The results can guide future research on aging in China.