BEIJING — The number of people aged 60 or above had reached 241 million in China by the end of 2017, accounting for 17.3 percent of the total population, according to the Office of the National Working Commission on Aging.

A society with 10 percent of its population aged 60 or older can be referred to as an “aging society,” said Wu Yushao, deputy director of the office.

Since China first became an aging society in 1999, the number of people aged 60 or above has seen a net increase of 110 million. It is estimated that the number of seniors will peak around 2050 to reach 487 million, 34.9 percent of the total population, Wu said.

The country has stepped up nationwide education on aging with the aim to raise citizens’ awareness and called on the public to care for the elderly.

Local governments are required to improve working mechanisms for promoting aging-related education, which has been incorporated into the annual work plans and performance evaluations of local governments.