Challenges and Responses of Left-Behind Elderly and Children in Rural China Amid the New Population Development Stage

Abstract

The disparate economic growth in China has compelled numerous adults from rural areas to migrate to cities in search of more lucrative employment prospects (1).In the 7th National Census, it was reported that the floating population totaled 375,816,759, accounting for approximately 26.00% of the overall population.Such migratory patterns often result in leaving behind vulnerable groups, particularly children and older adults, in rural regions.Given the inadequately established care systems, these groups are particularly susceptible and have consistently been at the forefront of social security concerns in China (2).The inadequate public pension benefits and health insurance systems result in older adults relying heavily on their offspring, generally their sons, for their overall well-being (3).Migration has led to the rise of a vulnerable group known as the "rural left-behind older adults", where older family members lack necessary support as their caretaker children move to urban areas.Simultaneously, the growth and well-being of children hinge on parental care, but employment constraints, limited financial resources, and rural residency restrictions often make it unfeasible for migrant workers to bring their children to the cities where they work (4).Consequently, these children are regularly left behind in their rural homes, becoming the "left-behind children in rural areas".During the first meeting of the Financial and Economic Affairs Commission under the 20th Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, accentuated that the country is entering a new stage of population development.This phase is characterized by declining birthrates, an aging population, and uneven population growth among regions.Additionally, the rural population characterized by an unbalanced age population structure, has been pronouncedly affected by the inconsistent economic development and these factors.