# Official figures show China’s elderly dependency ratio overtaking that of children for the first time

https://mins.news/en/item/118695

- BBC Chinese, 2026-10-28 08:26 UTC
- Society
- Original: https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/articles/cmzxl4xq52dxo/trad?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> China’s elderly dependency ratio rose to 23% last year, exceeding the child dependency ratio of 22% for the first time, official figures show. Analysts call the shift a milestone that could put pressure on pensions, healthcare and long-term care, while reshaping family and public spending priorities.

## Related coverage

- [China’s elderly outnumber children for the first time](https://mins.news/en/item/118572) — Reuters, 2026-10-28
- [China’s families now support more older people than children](https://mins.news/en/item/118713) — BBC News, 2026-10-27