China’s capital city is experiencing an ongoing population explosion which is expected to witness a rise from its present 15 million to 20 million by the year 2020. It is estimated by 2020, 12% of the population will consist of the elderly and 13% of young people. Although, Beijing records each year more deaths than births its population continues increasing due to an influx from rural areas. Next year’s Olympics will probably have the unintended effect of accelerating the arrival of new immigrants to Beijing.
The rapid rise in population of Beijing has immense implications for water, food distribution, crime, etc.. within the city. The increase in elderly means medical facilities must be rapidly expanded and schools are facing the ongoing need to house hundreds of thousands of students. Is China capable of coping with all these problems?