The ageing population in China over 60 years old reached 167 million in 2009, making up 12.5 percent of the total population and continues growing fast, according to a meeting on the elderly in Beijing Thursday, chinanews.cn reported.
Hui Liangyu, China's vice premier and head of China National Committee on Ageing (CNCA), said that China's aging problem comes under an underdeveloped economy, which needs us to better the relevant social security and service system.
There are many elderly people in China who cannot take care of themselves without any family members around, the report said.
The meeting also stressed China's tradition to respect elderly people and Hui urged the rights of the old must be ensured.
