More Chinese identify as middle class, report says

More people in China now consider themselves middle-class, according to a report released on Monday by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The Annual Report on Social Mentality of China said 40.5 percent of people believe they are middle class, an increase on previous years, although it didn’t provide any comparable data.

The finding is based on an online survey of more than 22,660 randomly selected residents nationwide.

Ten percent identify as higher class, while most respondents, including those who believe they are lower class, expect the next generation of their family to enjoy a higher social status than them, the report said.

People born in the 1990s had the lowest level of happiness, scoring 4.03 out of 7, while those born in the ’40s had the highest level, 4.32, it added.