Professor Carolijn van Noort from the University of West Scotland talks about her new book, which explores how China’s international political communication of the Belt and Road Initiative comprises narratives about infrastructure and the Silk Road.
Life Expectancy in the U.S. and China
Better nutrition, decreased smoking, safer working conditions, hygiene and healthcare have helped lengthen lives globally—but these gains are not distributed evenly.
January 28, 2021
Liang Huguo, 72, finishing the 2018 Tengchong Marathon in China. Photo: Liang Yuan
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Better nutrition, decreased smoking, safer working conditions, hygiene and healthcare have helped lengthen lives globally. Average life expectancy has risen worldwide from 69.9 years in 2008 to 72.6 years in 2018. But these averages hide a sad truth: these gains are not distributed evenly. In the U.S., life expectancy hit a plateau in 2014 at 78.8 years. In China, there has been a steady rise since 1999, hitting 76.7 years in 2018.
But even within country borders, average life expectancy can vary widely. Access to better education, jobs, healthcare and government support programs has an obvious impact. In 2015, the disparity was 6.6 years among U.S. states while the gap between regions in China was over 12 years. In the U.S. the lowest life expectancies are in the South and Southern Appalachian Mountains. In China, Western areas have lower life expectancies. The maps below reflect life expectancy at birth. On average, life expectancy in Japan is the longest, at 83.8 years in 2015.
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Events
Saturday, October 16, 2021 - 9:00am PT
Please join the USC U.S.-China Institute for a look at the resurgence of classical music in China through the legacy of the Philadelphia Orchestra, from its first performances in the PRC in 1973 until its most recent tour in 2018.
Thursday, November 4, 2021 - 4:00pm PT
Kirk Denton will look at the role of politics—especially political parties—in the establishment, administration, architectural design, and historical narratives of museums in Taiwan.