The line graph illustrates changes in the population distribution of China by age group (0-14, 15-64, and 65+) from 1960 to 2050.
Overall, the proportion of young people has declined and is projected to continue decreasing, while the working-age population rose for several decades but is expected to fall in the future. In contrast, the proportion of elderly citizens is predicted to rise significantly by 2050.
In the past, between 1960 and 1990, the share of people aged 15-64 increased markedly, followed by steady growth up to the present. Meanwhile, the percentage of young people (0-14) dropped sharply, although it remained much higher in 1960 compared to today. The proportion of elderly people (65+) grew gradually from 1960 to 2010, before rising rapidly from about 10% to nearly 17% by 2020.
Looking ahead, the population aged 65 and over is forecast to continue rising, while both younger and working-age groups will decline. Between 2030 and 2050, the share of 15-64-year-olds is expected to fall dramatically from roughly 70% to about 60%, and the figure for children and teenagers is predicted to decrease from around 20% to 17.5%. By contrast, the proportion of older adults is projected to climb steeply from almost 17% to approximately 27% during the same period.