Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed, on Monday, that the birth rate in mainland China fell to a record low of 7.52 per 1,000 people in 2021, accelerating the downward trend that prompted Beijing last year to start allowing couples to become pregnant. Up to three children.
China scrapped the decades-old one-child policy in 2016, replacing the one-child-two-child policy in a bid to avoid the economic risks of a rapidly aging population, but the high cost of living in urban areas deterred couples from having more children.
The birth rate was the lowest since 1949, when the Census Bureau began compiling data.
The natural growth rate of China’s population, excluding immigration, was just 0.034% for 2021, the lowest since 1960, according to the data.
“The demographic challenge is well known, but it is clear that the pace of population aging is faster than expected,” Reuters reported.
“This indicates that China’s total population may have peaked in 2021. It also indicates that China’s potential growth is likely to slow faster than expected,” Zhang said.
The data showed that there were 10.62 million births in 2021, compared to 12 million in 2020.
The birth rate was 8.52 births per 1,000 people in 2020.
HF