Final answer:
China has adopted capitalist practices and its growth is challenged by an aging population and significant levels of pollution. These issues stem from past policies and rapid industrialization impacting the environment and sustainability.
Step-by-step explanation:
Although China has adopted many capitalist practices since the 1980s, two significant barriers to its growth are its aging population and air and water pollution.
China's transition from a strictly Communist society to one with a more open-market economy has allowed for capitalist tendencies to influence its economic growth. However, this economic liberalization comes with challenges, including an aging population due to past policies like the one-child policy and substantial environmental degradation.
The rapid development of China's economy has been marred by air and water pollution, affecting public health and prompting concerns about sustainability. Meanwhile, the shift toward a capitalist economy has increased consumer power and brought issues of resource exploitation and environmental impact to the forefront.