Beijing faces rapid aging population growth: report

BEIJING - Beijing is faced with rapid growth in its elderly population, with 400 more people reaching the age of 60 every day, according to a report by the city government.

The capital will see an estimated increase of 100,000 senior citizens every year until 2020, which highlights the huge challenge in caring for the elderly, said Li Hongbing, deputy director of the municipal civil affairs bureau, during a press conference.

Released by the city government's municipal committee on aging, the report said nearly 2.63 million registered Beijing residents were 60 years old or above in 2012, while the total number of inhabitants stood at 12.98 million.

Every 100 residents aged 15 to 59 had the burden of looking after 29.4 elderly people in 2012, but the figure was 24.3 in 2008, the report said. Compared to statistics in 2006, the registered population aged 60 or above has increased by 605,000, accounting for more than 60 percent of the total increase in the number of registered residents.