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12 Family Support and Community-based Services in China Joe C.B. Leung D Introduction Over the past two decades, the economy o f China has been one of the fastes t growing economies in the world. Between 197 8 and 1996 , China's GDP grew at a n averag e o f 10 % a year, an d a n averag e o f 6 % t o 8 % is expecte d i n th e first decad e o f th e twenty-firs t century . Mor e significantly , wit h a GD P pe r capita reaching US$961 in 1998 , it is now ranked as a middle-income countr y (Asian Wall Street Journal, 1 7 April 2000, p. 2). While the successes of China' s economic reform s hav e bee n substantia l an d indisputable , the y hav e bee n accompanied b y a wide array o f mounting socia l problems an d needs . For centuries , i t ha s bee n a cherishe d Chines e traditio n fo r th e elderl y to b e supporte d b y thei r offspring ; an d forma l socia l service s fo r th e age d were ofte n regarde d a s no t necessar y (Cho w 1991 ; Che n 1996) . Afte r th e establishment o f th e People' s Republi c o f Chin a i n 1949 , a comprehensiv e employment-based socia l securit y syste m coverin g retiremen t an d medica l care was introduced. After th e economic reforms beginning in 1978 , however, this social security syste m became riddle d wit h problems . As a consequenc e of th e demographi c shift , th e issu e o f a n agein g populatio n ha s pose d a formidable challeng e t o the Chines e governmen t i n meeting th e present an d impending financia l an d long-ter m car e need s o f th e elderly . Meanwhile , modernized livin g ha s invariabl y erode d th e capacit y an d willingnes s o f th e 172฀JOE ฀C.B.฀LEUNG฀ family t o provid e car e fo r th e elderly . Thi s chapte r provide s a genera l demographic background an d th e profile o f the needs of the elderly in China . After a n appraisal o f the family suppor t capacit y and forma l welfar e services , this chapte r describe s th e emergin g community-base d suppor t syste m fo r the elderly . Finally , i t points ou t th e urgen t nee d t o develo p forma l welfar e services supportin g famil y care . I n th e contex t o f a globalize d economy , China i s now activel y i n searc h o f a pluralistic socia l welfar e syste m tha t i s compatible wit h a n emergen t marke t economy . Unde r suc h a system , th e role o f the famil y an d communit y i n providing car e for th e elderly would b e pivotal. I฀Chin a฀as฀an฀Ageing฀Society฀ One of the consequences of the Draconian population control policy in Chin a is th e rapi d increas e i n th e proportio n o f th e elderl y population . Wit h continuous low birth rates for more than two decades (16 per 100 0 population in 1998) , th e proportio n o f children (age d 0-14 ) i n th e nationa l populatio n declined fro m 33.6 % i n 198 2 t o 24.3 % in 1998 . Couple d wit h lo w deat h rates (6. 5 per 100 0 population i n 1998) , th e proportion o f the elderl y (age d 65 o r over ) i n th e national populatio n surge d fro m 4.9 % in 198 2 t o 7.4 % i n 1998. Th e proportio n wa s muc h highe r i n larg e citie s suc h a s Shangha i (13.1%), Beijin g (9% ) an d Tianji n (8.9%) , an d lowe r i n wester n provinces , such a s Ningxi a (4%) , Xinjian g (5...

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