Beijing set to become ‘super-aged’ by 2035, with one in three residents aged 60 or above
Beijing is expected to become a “super-aged” city by 2035, with about one-third of its residents aged 60 or above, according to a report in the official Beijing Daily.
The newspaper said the Chinese capital had 5.29 million permanent residents aged 60 and above at the end of last year, almost one-quarter of its population. The city government is stepping up support for elderly residents, including raising the basic pension, the report added.
A super-aged society is generally defined as one where people aged 65 and above make up more than 20 per cent of the population. Beijing’s projected figure of one-third aged 60 or above by 2035 would place it well within that category, reflecting a rapid demographic transition in the capital.
The projection comes as China confronts a nationwide ageing trend. The country’s population has been shrinking since 2022, and the decline is expected to accelerate in the coming decades. Hundreds of millions of people are set to leave the workforce, even as pension budgets are already stretched.
Chinese policymakers have made population planning a key part of the country’s economic strategy. This year, the government faces a total potential cost of around 180 billion yuan ($26.92 billion) to boost births, according to Reuters estimates. The measures are aimed at slowing the decline in births and supporting families, though their impact remains uncertain.
Demographers and economists argue that fewer children today could mean fewer households and slower consumption growth over time. A smaller working-age population may also affect productivity and public finances, making it harder for the government to boost domestic demand and rein in debt.
China’s pension system, which relies on contributions from current workers to pay retirees, faces pressure as the ratio of workers to retirees declines. Local governments in some regions have already struggled to balance pension budgets, and the central government has introduced measures to pool resources across provinces.
For Beijing, the challenge is twofold: meeting the immediate needs of a growing elderly population while maintaining the city’s economic dynamism. The reported plan to raise the basic pension is one step, but it remains to be seen how the city will expand healthcare, elder care and social services to match the demographic change.
The Beijing Daily report did not provide details on the expected cost of the city’s elderly support measures or on specific targets for pension increases. Reuters could not independently verify the figures cited in the newspaper.
Other Chinese cities and provinces are also recording rising shares of elderly residents, making ageing a national policy priority. The central government has introduced measures such as childcare subsidies and pension reforms, but analysts say reversing low birth rates and preparing for an older society will require sustained, long-term effort.
The demographic shift is likely to reshape China’s economy and society in the years ahead, affecting labour markets, health systems and family structures. How effectively the government responds will determine whether the country can manage the costs of ageing while sustaining growth.
