China's population shrank last year for the first time in more than six decades, official data showed Tuesday, as the world's most populous country faces a looming demographic crisis.
The nation of 1.4 billion has seen birth rates plunge to record lows as its workforce ages, in a rapid decline that analysts warn could stymie economic growth and pile pressure on strained public coffers.
The mainland Chinese population stood at around 1,411,750,000 at the end of 2022, Beijing's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported, a decrease of 850,000 from the end of the previous year.
The number of births was 9.56 million, the NBS said, while the number of deaths stood at 10.41 million.
The last time China's population declined was in the early 1960s, as the country battled the worst famine in its modern history, a result of the disastrous Mao Zedong agricultural policy known as the Great Leap Forward.
China ended its strict one-child policy -- imposed in the 1980s owing to fears of overpopulation -- in 2016 and began allowing couples to have three children in 2021.
But that has failed to reverse the demographic decline for a country that has long relied on its vast workforce as a driver of economic growth.
"The population will likely trend down from here in coming years," Zhiwei Zhang of Pinpoint Asset Management said.
"China cannot rely on the demographic dividend as a structural driver for economic growth," he added.
"Economic growth will have to depend more on productivity growth, which is driven by government policies."
- 'I will not be a mother' -
News of the population decline quickly trended on China's heavily censored internet, with some expressing fears for the country's future.
"Without children, the state and the nation have no future," one comment on the Twitter-like Weibo service read.
"Having children is also a social responsibility," another comment from a well-known "patriotic" influencer read.
But others pointed to the soaring cost of living and the difficulties of raising children in modern China.
"I love my mother, I will not be a mother," said one.
"No one reflects on why we do not want to have (children) and do not want to get married," another said.
Many local authorities have already launched measures to encourage couples to have children.
The southern megacity of Shenzhen, for example, now offers a birth bonus and pays allowances until the child is three years old.
A couple who has their first baby automatically receives 3,000 yuan ($444), an amount that rises to 10,000 yuan for their third.
In the country's east, the city of Jinan has since January 1 paid a monthly stipend of 600 yuan for couples that have a second child.
Chinese people are "getting used to the small family because of the decades-long one-child policy", Xiujian Peng, a researcher at Australia's University of Victoria, told AFP.
"The Chinese government has to find effective policies to encourage birth, otherwise, fertility will slip even lower," she added.
- 'A real concern' -
And analysts argue much more needs to be done.
"A comprehensive policy package that covers childbirth, parenting, and education is needed to reduce the cost of childraising," researcher Peng told AFP.
"Women's job insecurity after giving birth should be addressed particularly."
Independent demographer He Yafu also pointed to "the decline in the number of women of childbearing age, which fell by five million per year between 2016 and 2021" -- a consequence of the ageing of the population.
The Chinese population could decline each year by 1.1 percent on average, according to a study by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences updated last year and shared with AFP.
China could have only 587 million inhabitants in 2100, less than half of today, according to the most pessimistic projections of that team of demographers.
And India is set to dethrone China this year as the most populous country in the world, according to the United Nations.
"A declining and ageing population will be a real concern for China," Peng said.
"It will have a profound impact on China's economy from the present through to 2100."
ehl-oho/je/qan
Price of Gold per Gram
(2023-01-17 10:12:00Z)Calculate the Uk Get the gold rates today using our Gold price calculator 9 Karat, 18 Karat 22 and 24 Carat scrap Gold.
REPLYLetting Agents Worcester
(2023-01-17 11:16:32Z)Looking To Rent In Worcester Around First Rate Letting Agents should be the FIRST you call! Exceptional Customer Service Available Out Of Hours 5 Rated.
REPLYEddie Munson Vest
(2023-01-17 12:24:17Z)This is a great article and great read for me. It's my first visit to your blog, and I have found it so useful and informative especially this article.
REPLYmath fact fluency
(2023-01-17 12:32:54Z)Teacher created free, MathFactLab’s strategy based online practice develops both and number sense.
REPLY정품api
(2023-01-17 15:39:01Z)Me and my buddy were arguing about an issue similar to that! These days I be aware that I was best. lol! Thanks for the information you post.
REPLYmp patwari syllabus
(2023-01-17 19:14:12Z)Wow, this is really interesting reading. I am glad I found this and got to read it. Great job on this content
REPLY커튼
(2023-01-19 08:14:04Z)irritable bowel is really bad, this disease can really crap your digestive system~
REPLYNorth American Bancard agent
(2023-01-19 12:16:26Z)Very interesting details you have noted, thanks for putting up.
REPLYSladjana Milojev 1000 Dolar
(2023-01-21 08:21:04Z)Wow! This could be one particular of the most beneficial blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Actually Wonderful. I’m also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort.
REPLYprodentim scam
(2023-01-21 08:21:54Z)As such, it seems to me I need to collect all the software and document the process while I still can, and put it all in one place, both for myself, and for anyone else who wants to keep using this old.
REPLY안전놀이터
(2023-01-21 12:32:59Z)Many thanks for the excellent post C I had fun reading it! That i love this blog.
REPLY토토사이트추천
(2023-01-21 13:33:50Z)Hello, just thought i’d leave a message telling you keep up the awesome work!
REPLYbooster men
(2023-01-22 08:13:17Z)A good clear cut answer and a great concept. But how do I post any work on this website is another question. The Foureyed Poet.
REPLYSonoVive Reviews
(2023-01-22 13:46:25Z)sony music would be the biggest company in entertainment from what i see in the future. they have a good business plan-
REPLYHow to start a school offering healthcare programs
(2023-01-22 16:42:53Z)It truly is while doing so a reliable area i always particularly savored checking. Is just not every day that include the prospect to look at a service.
REPLYJava Burn Reviews
(2023-01-25 08:03:01Z)Thanks for your writing. I would like to say a health insurance broker also works for the benefit of the actual coordinators of any group insurance policies. The health insurance broker is given a directory of benefits sought by an individual or a group coordinator. What any broker can is try to find individuals and also coordinators which best complement those requirements. Then he gifts his advice and if the two of you agree, the particular broker formulates a legal contract between the two parties.
REPLYbull789
(2023-01-25 12:30:39Z)We retain listening towards information converse with regards to getting cost-free on the internet give capabilities so I are actually looking for close to for that absolute best how does someone obtain one.
REPLY슬롯게임사이트
(2023-01-26 07:43:33Z)I am not very great with English but I find this very leisurely to translate.
REPLY16th 17th 18th century textiles
(2023-01-26 09:39:27Z)This is the reason online marketing specials efforts so you can effective analyze earlier than post. Put simply to write down more beneficial destination of this nature.
REPLYYoutube MP3 Converte
(2023-01-26 13:34:55Z)This is why it is better that you should linked review before developing. It is possible to post superior send that way.
REPLYAllomycle
(2023-02-22 11:00:19Z)CA mRNA expression in breast cell lines cialis buy
REPLYAllomycle
(2023-03-20 01:10:28Z)Jemal A, Clegg LX, Ward E, et al buy cialis 5mg daily use
REPLY