# China’s families now support more older people than children

https://mins.news/en/item/118713

- BBC News, 2026-10-27 23:16 UTC
- Society
- Original: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr20wzwyzl1qo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

> China’s government says the elderly dependency ratio rose to 23% last year, surpassing the 22% rate for children for the first time. More than 223 million people in China are aged 65 or older. Analysts say the shift could strain pensions, healthcare and long-term care as birth rates remain low.

## Related coverage

- [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
- [China’s elderly outnumber children for the first time](https://mins.news/en/item/118572) — Reuters, 2026-10-28
