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China:
Elderly enjoy higher living standards: survey JINAN- According to a survey on the status of Chinese
urban and rural old people, they have enjoyed a higher living standard in
the past 10 years. The survey, by the China Scientific Research Center for
Senior Citizens, covers more than 20,000 old people in 20 provinces,
autonomous regions and municipalities in China. The income of the aged in China has greatly increased
in the past decade, said the report. The average annual per-capita income of Chinese urban
people has reached 8,496 Yuan (about 1024 US dollars), 2.1 times that in
1992. While the income of rural elderly has increased by 1.7 times from
832 Yuan (about 100 US dollars) to 2,232 Yuan (about 269 US dollars). According to the report, in both urban and rural areas,
running water, refrigerators, televisions and washing machines have become
part of the daily life of the Chinese elderly. Moreover, the Chinese elderly are enjoying larger
housing space. The average housing area for senior citizens in cities has
reached3.32 rooms, nearly 70.3 square meters, while their rural
counterparts have had 4.02 rooms, about 85.7 square meters per family. As the report notes, the illiteracy rate of urban
elderly people has decreased from 41.2 percent in 1992 to 28.4 percent.
The proportion in the countryside has reduced by 17.1 percentage points,
from 74.4 percent to 57.3 percent. "Such progress is the result of more cultural demands after the improvement of their living standards, as well as more efforts made by the Chinese government to enrich the cultural life of the old people," said the report. Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging |
