Challenges of Aging Populations: Southeast Asia and Chinese Childcare

Passage 1: The passage begins with news about a grandmother suing her daughter for not paying her for looking after her grandson. The passage then presents the opinion that Chinese childcare faces several problems. The first problem is that it exhausts grandparents physically and economically, as they often have to move to a city where they lack medical insurance to care for mischievous children. The second problem is that children raised by grandparents tend to become spoiled and obese. Additionally, the passage highlights a new trend where Chinese grandparents are prioritizing their own retirement lives, indicating that they may no longer be willing to volunteer as caregivers for babies.

Passage 2: The passage primarily discusses the issue of many Southeastern countries aging before becoming economically affluent. It first presents demographic statistics from India, Vietnam, and Thailand, indicating that these countries are aging at a rate unprecedented among developed nations. This problem becomes more concerning due to three issues. Firstly, these countries have been benefiting from a relatively young demographic structure, and as they age, they will lose this economic momentum. Secondly, these countries have not yet become wealthy enough to support significant pension payments for the elderly, making them susceptible to poverty. Thirdly, the traditional family care system is still prevalent, but the ongoing urbanization is leading to more elderly individuals being separated from their children, undermining this tradition. Women face the worst consequences as they tend to outlive men and are often financially dependent, resulting in a bleak old age. In light of these issues, the writer suggests that governments pay sufficient attention to potential risks and take proactive measures.