Intergenerational relations in contemporary China: descriptive findings from Shanghai

With over one billion people, China accounts for nearly a quarter of the world's population. It also has the largest population of elderly (60 and over) living under one government (approximately 80 million). These elderly make up approximately 8 percent of China's population (Banister, 1984). In the U.S., the same age group makes up 15.8 percent of the total population (U.S. census, 1983). In fifteen years (by the year 2000), china expects a 63 percent increase in the size of its elderly population.