Though people over 60 were traditionally thought to be close to the tomb in China decades ago, today many people whose age at 60 and over don't consider themselves old, as experts at a symposium held recently in Beijing pointed out.

People's psychological attitudes toward aging have changed greatly, Gu Danian of the Demography Institute at Beijing University told the gathering.

A survey carried out among people between 40 to 90 shows that 22.7 percent of men and 19.5 percent of women in this age group said they do not feel old.

More older people in Beijing are now attending colleges including single elders perhaps looking to remarry. Gu said that many people don't think of themselves as elders even though they are over 60.

Gu believes that it is more scientific to define the aging population as people over 65 in China.

"The new definition will help improve the quality life for older people and optimize society's human resources," Gu said.

It is also possible to adjust the current system of retirement to allow more elders to continue working if they want and their health permits, especially those engaged in scientific and research work, Gu said.

The life expectancy for Chinese was 35 before the founding of new China in 1949, and in 1996 the figure reached 68 for men and 73 for women. Some experts predict that the life expectancy for Chinese men and women will reach 70 and 74 respectively by the year 2010, reminding elders that positive attitudes can prolong life.

By this October, the Chinese population over 60 years of age had reached 126 million, 10 percent of the total population.

According to UN sources, today, one in every 10 people in the world is 60 or over. Twenty years from now, this figure will be one in every eight. And by 2150, every third person on the planet will be over 60 years old. (Xinhua)