BEIJING: China’s population has been on constant decline but the latest estimates are shocking.
The population of the world’s most populous country dropped by 2.75 million people in 2023, surpassing the previous 2022 record.
The Chinese National Bureau of Statistics reported that the total deaths rose 6.6% to 11.1 million in 2023 while new births fell 5.7% to 9.02 million.
China’s battle with population decline
China has for years been battling the phenomenon of an aging population.
Past policies including the one-child policy – and a growing reluctance among young adults to have children, are the primary reasons behind this downward trend.
In 2023 China was overtaken by India as the world’s most populous nation, according to UN estimates.
Demographic time bomb
Chinese experts fear that the impact of this “demographic time bomb” could be devastating for the economy, with the rising costs of aged care and financial support in danger.
The state-run Chinese Academy of Sciences suggests that people over 60 years of age in China will reach 400 million by 2035, which is an unprecedented number for an emerging global power.
