China's aging population will exceed 200 million in 2015 and reach 400 million in 2040.

At the First Gerontologist Frontier Forum held in Peking University on October 10, Li Bengong, deputy standing director of the Office of China National Working Commission on Ageing and president of Gerontology Society of China, revealed that India's total population is expected to surpass that of China in around 2040.

China, however, will still have the largest aging population in the world. Currently, China's aging population is equal to that of the entire Europe.

According to Li, in 2003, China's aging population amounted to 130 million while last year, this figure has risen to 142 million, accounting for 11 percent of China's total population.

He estimated that China's aging population will reach 160 million by 2010, approximately taking up 12 percent of total population, and will exceed 200 million in 2015. In about 2044, the figure will even jump to as high as 400 million.

Siri Tellier, representative of United Nations Population Fund in China, also indicated that due to sharp decline of mortality rate and fertility rate, China's aging tendency will be accelerated after 2005.

(Chinanews.cn October 12, 2005)