Part 7/9:
The Shadow of an Aging Population
Further complicating these issues is a demographic crisis. The effects of China's one-child policy have resulted in a rapidly aging population without a robust safety net. As elderly citizens confront increasing financial pressures, many find support from their working-age children diminished, thus exacerbating the cycle of economic strain.
The Imperative for Political Change
Current circumstances reveal an exceptional challenge for the CCP: how to support faltering banks and outdated industries without inciting social unrest. The government has thus far pursued a mixed strategy, injecting just enough support into struggling sectors to stave off collapse while allowing some degree of pain to ripple through the economy.