The Gerontological Society of China on Tuesday revealed that 58,789 centenarians are living in China and the oldest was 128 years.

“Three quarters of the long-lived are women and most of them are living in the countryside,’’ the society said.

China’s centenarians. Photo IB Times

The report says provinces with the most centenarians are south China’s Hainan and Guangxi and central China’s Anhui, where the environment is good and the economy is moderately developed.

The society found that most of the centenarians enjoyed outdoor activities, were willing to communicate with others and maintained a healthy diet.

Chinese people who are aged 60 will be over 202 million by the end of 2014, or nearly 15 per cent of the total population, the report adds.