China Is Aging Faster Than It Is Growing Wealthier, Study Finds

An elderly man and woman walk with their groceries past a restaurant in Beijing on Dec. 22, 2025. Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty ImagesChina is entering a rapidly accelerating phase of population aging, with new research warning that the country is becoming “old before it gets rich,” placing mounting pressure on its pension system, elder care infrastructure, and rural-urban equality.A white paper released on June 15 by a research team at China’s top Tsinghua University shows that by the end of 2025, China had 323.38 million people aged 60 and above—about 23 percent of the total population, according to Chinese media Beijing News. Those aged 65 and older will reach 223.65 million, or 15.9 percent.