According to reports from domestic media on October 11th， Liu Zhenguo， the Vice Minister of Civil Affairs， stated that by the end of 2024， China’s elderly population aged 60 and above will reach 310 million， accounting for 22% of the total population.
During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period， China’s life expectancy has continued to improve， reaching 79 years. This is an increase of 1.07 years compared to 2020 and 5 years higher than the global average.
The steady increase in life expectancy signifies significant progress in public welfare， medical advancements， and overall societal development. This upward trend in life expectancy， however， is intrinsically linked to the deepening aging of China’s population. As of the end of 2024， individuals aged 60 and above will number 310 million， making up 22% of the total population. Furthermore， the population aged 65 and above is projected to reach 220 million， constituting 15.6% of the total.
Experts highlight that the rise in life expectancy to 79 years is not merely a statistical gain but a powerful testament to the synchronized advancement of people’s well-being， healthcare progress， and societal development.
Prior to this， projections from the United Nations Population Division indicated that the average life expectancy for Americans this year would be 79.46 years， while China’s would be 78.02 years (now revised to 79 years). This comparison underscores China’s rapid gains in this crucial demographic indicator.
Should current trends persist， China is poised to surpass the United States in life expectancy by 2044. Projections suggest China’s life expectancy will reach 82.4 years， a slight but significant edge over the United States’ projected 82.39 years. This prospective shift would mark a historic milestone， reflecting sustained improvements in health and living conditions within China.
