The Economic and Social Impact of China’s Rural and Urban Population Aging

Yang Xiaolin and Doris Padmini Selvaratnam
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Yang Xiaolin: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Doris Padmini Selvaratnam: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 2025, vol. 9, issue 15, 295-305

Abstract: The ageing of China’s population in both urban and rural areas has had a profound impact on both the economy and society. Population aging is closely related to per capita income, employment, medical expenses, and other aspects. However, The ageing population in rural and urban areas will behave differently. In rural areas, population aging has led to increased labor pressure, decreased agricultural productivity, and hindered the development of rural economy. Simultaneously, a large number of young rural laborers are migrating to cities year by year, leading to a continuous increase in the number of left behind elderly people in rural areas. The limited medical, health and social services available in rural areas cannot fully meet the needs of the elderly who are being left behind, further exacerbating the problem of an ageing rural population. In urban areas, population aging leads to changes in working age, a decrease in labor supply, a decline in the working age population, and an increase in the proportion of elderly labor force, greatly increasing the pressure on the pension and health insurance system. This article will gain an understanding of the impact of aging populations in rural and urban areas of China on the economy and society through data analysis and typical case studies. The research results indicate that there is a significant correlation between population ageing and medical expenditure, while also having a negative impact on per capita income and employment. The problem of population aging is more severe in rural areas than in cities. Overall, in order to alleviate population ageing, different solutions and policies should be adopted based on the characteristics of urban and rural ageing, in order to effectively alleviate the pressure on economic growth and social welfare.

Date: 2025
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