China has the largest elderly population in the world. Pension and health care systems are struggling to cope at a time when women are having fewer babies. Can the country afford to grow old as its economy slows?

Katya speaks with the BBC's China correspondent Laura Bicker about how Beijing plans to tackle this ticking demographic time bomb.

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This episode was made by Alice Aylett Roberts and Richard Moran. The technical producers were Mike Regaard and Matt Hewitt. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Is China's biggest threat its own ageing population? 26:33 Share

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Is China's biggest threat its own ageing population?