Getting old fast, getting rich slowly.doc

Getting old fast, getting rich slowly 中国未富先老，应对老龄化社会的挑战需要我们奉献更多的爱心。 ALONG with the golden leaves and chrysanthemum blossoms (菊花) at this time of year comes the yearly grandparents holiday. The Double Ninth Festival, which we celebrate today, is a day for young people to show how much they care for their older relatives. China has a long history of respecting the old, and this virtue (美德) is especially important as we have become an ageing society since 1999, said Li Baoku, leader of the China Ageing Development Foundation (中国老龄事业发展基金会).An ageing society refers to one where 10 per cent or more of its population is over 60, or over 7 per cent of its population is older than 65. By the end of 2004, Chinese over 60 years old have accounted for (占) 10.97 per cent of the nations total population, and those older than 65, for 7.7 per cent. For every five people older than 60 in the world, or every two in Asia, one is Chinese. It is expected that in 25 years time there will be one senior citizen for every four Chinese. China is getting old before becoming rich, said Cai Chuang, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Unlike the developed countries China has become an ageing society at a speedy (迅速的) pace. Its economy (经济状况) is not as good as the developed countries had while entering this stage. Fighting poverty remains a big issue for the country. It does not have a highly developed social security network to support the old who cant make a living by themselves. When todays teenagers grow up, each of them will have responsibility for two parents and four grandparents.As more people grow old, China will experience a lack of labour resources. This has already occurred in some coastal (沿海的) regions since 2004. Currently Chinas economic growth depends largely on labour-intensive manufacturing (劳动密集型制造业). This trend will certainly dull (使黯淡) Chinas edge (优势) in international trade, said Cai.Everyone will turn old someday. Each of us should try our