1.3 billion people in China

China is a world power already, bound to be the largest economy worldwide in just a couple of years.

Growth is also powered by its sheer number of population and yesterday morning, the country celebrated its 1.3 billionth inhabitant.

It is further expected that the country adds eight to 10 million to its population each year. A National Statistics Bureau (NSB) projection puts China's population at 1.47 billion around 2032.

However, this growth also creates challenges and to name just a few:

• Urbanisation and the evolution of the income disparity between urban and rural areas
• Creation of employment opportunities
• Health
• Aging - the so called greying of its population will hit China as well. The China Economic Net said that "The State Family Planning and Population Commission predicts that from 2000 to 2007, the number of residents 65 or older will grow throughout the nation from just under 100 million to more than 200 million. That means a jump in elders of more than 4 million per year, with their numbers making up as much as 14 per cent of the population by 2007. And the total is expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the coming decades. The commission forecasts that the likely proportion of the population 65 or older will surge to 24 per cent by 2050. "
• Education
  

Not the easiest tasks but great challenges for an emerging powerhouse

(By Asia Business Consulting)