China’s rapidly declining fertility reflects the legacy of family planning policies, which had caused the birth rate to plummet well below replacement level by the 1990s. If it is to sustain its economic dynamism, it must expand its labour force by raising the retirement age and encouraging families to have more children.
An expat reader offers up-to-date information and advice from a long trip to Britain which exposes the wide gulf between the country as advertised and as it really is.
The test, if reports are accurate, is neither of drastically new technology nor shows capabilities the US does not possess or has not already considered. Still, that China is developing such systems indicates it is seeking ways to defeat US missile defences.
Berlin is not trying to intimidate Beijing. Its real message is for Germany’s regional allies – Japan, Australia and the US, writes Arnaud Boehmann.
As Beijing erodes the city’s rights and freedoms in the name of national security, it is freedom lovers who are feeling alienated and ignored. Many are leaving, and more will follow.
The city state has deftly fortified strategic ties with the West while remaining a trusted interlocutor to and top investor in China. Although it was overlooked for the US’ upcoming democracy summit, Singapore remains America’s most reliable strategic partner in Southeast Asia.
The British actor was humiliated when he was caught in Los Angeles with a sex worker known as ‘Divine Brown’. Yet he still went on to make the romantic blockbuster Notting Hill.
Every Hongkonger who moves away is a loss for family and friends, and for the city. While fewer may leave under the BN(O) visa scheme than Britain predicts, we need to create a better city for new talent and existing residents alike.
A reluctance to accept Covid-19 will become endemic means the early victors against the disease may be the last to reopen their economies, writes Donald Low.
Travel will be more local, mindful and hopefully sustainable. The air miles industry might not survive, with package tours and cruises unlikely to regain popularity.
The city’s demanding restrictions on returning residents have disrupted plans and imposed a mental and financial strains on many. More should be done to make Hongkongers comfortable and healthy in quarantine, and ensure hotels are affordable.
Half a century of evidence suggests that in all prosperous countries where women are well educated and free to choose whether to have children, fertility rates fall significantly. When populations no longer grow, there are fewer workers per retiree, but also a reduced need for infrastructure and housing investment.
