China will get old before it gets rich

China’s workforce and general population are ageing rapidly, and the grievously underfunded welfare and pensions system won’t cope. That’s a recipe for structural decline and turmoil, says Jonathan Compton.

922-CS-634

This article is the first in a two-part cover story. Read Rupert Foster's counter argument here:China: Asia's next success story

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Jonathan Compton was MD at Bedlam Asset Management and has spent 30 years in fund management, stockbroking and corporate finance.