China's National Population and Family Planning Commission has predicted the country's population could reach 1.39 billion by the end of 2015. And also that the number of those aged 60 and above is expected to topple 200 million.

The commission, says the urban population is projected to be over 700 million over the next five years, exceeding the rural population for the first time.

China's first boom, in its aging population is expected in the next five years, with an average of eight million people turning 60 each year. Official stats, show China's population at 1.32 billion at the end of 2008, about 2 and a half times the number, in 1949 when the New China was founded.