China population: ‘fully open childbirth’ policy needed as calls increase for census response

China’s census confirmed that while the population continued to grow last year, the number of births fell to a 60-year low of 12 million in 2020

China’s banking regulator has already announced it will pilot private pension products from June, but changes to family planning policies have yet to emerge

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China’s census confirmed that while the overall population continued to grow last year 1.412 billion in 2020, the number of new births fell to a 60-year low of 12 million in 2020. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:30pm, 17 May 2021Updated: 4:06pm, 24 May 2021

Calls have increased for China to immediately adjust policies concerning birth control, its pension system and elderly care after last week’s population census confirmed the demographic threats facing the country’s growth and stability.

Official moves in response to the once-in-a-decade census have already begun in some sectors, with China’s banking regulator announcing at the weekend that it would pilot private pension products from June.

The gradual postponement of the retirement age has also been agreed in principle, but any immediate changes to decades- old family planning policies are yet to emerge.

“We should fully open up childbirth. There’s no need to worry about excessive childbirths after control measures are abolished,” Lei Xiaoyan, a professor at Peking University’s National School of Development, said on Sunday.

Not many want to have a third child or more. The cost of giving birth, upbringing and education is a major reason

Lei Xiaoyan

Last week, China’s census confirmed that while the overall population continued to grow to 1.412 billion in 2020, the number of births fell to a 60-year low of 12 million in 2020. The fertility rate, meaning the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime, was also only 1.3 – well below the replacement level of 2.1 needed to ensure a stable population.

“As a matter of fact, not many want to have a third child or more. The cost of giving birth, upbringing and education is a major reason,” Lei added.

China’s working aged population of those aged between 16 and 59 also fell by 40 million in the past 10 years to 880 million in 2020, highlighting a decline of the labour dividend, which was a key factor in China becoming the world’s factory and top exporter.