By John Ikani
China’s population has fallen for the first time in 60 years, marking a significant shift in the country’s demographic landscape.
According to figures released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the national birth rate hit a record low of 6.77 births per 1,000 women in 2022.
This resulted in a population decline of 850,000 from 2021, with a total population of 1.4118 billion.
This marks the first time in decades that deaths have outnumbered births in China, with the country’s death rate reaching its highest level since 1976 at 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people.
The decline in birth rate has been a growing concern for the Chinese government, which has implemented a number of policies aimed at slowing the trend.
The one-child policy, which was introduced in 1979, had a significant impact on China’s population trends.
Families that violated the rules faced fines and even job loss. The policy also led to forced abortions and a skewed gender ratio, with a preference for boys over girls.
The one-child policy was scrapped in 2016, allowing married couples to have two children.
However, despite the lifting of the one-child policy and incentives such as tax breaks and better maternal healthcare, the birth rate has continued to decline.
Experts attribute this to a lack of support for working mothers and access to education.
In October 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping made boosting birth rates a priority, stating that the government will “pursue a proactive national strategy” in response to the country’s ageing population.
China’s economy also took a hit last year, growing at its second-slowest rate in almost half a century.
The gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 3%, below the government’s target of 5.5%.
Strict coronavirus regulations and a property rout in 2022 were cited as major factors in the economic slowdown.
As China faces a demographic crisis, it remains to be seen what measures the government will take to address the declining birth rate and negative population growth.
