China population: with falling fertility rate ‘an unavoidable norm’, Beijing told focus should shift to people not numbers
- China’s birth rate peaked in 2016, with the number of newborns falling by around 40 per cent over the last five years to the lowest total in modern history last year
- Institute of Public Policy at the South China University of Technology says China’s focus should be on the quality of fertility services, instead of on fluctuating birth rates
China should focus less on fertility rates and the number of births, and instead focus on providing better services for prospective parents, while also respecting people who are reluctant to start a family, as it faces a potentially irreversible population decline, according to a research institute report.
And with no positive turning point in sight, a demographic crisis is set to remain one of the most profound challenges to China’s slowing economic growth.
The statistics should stop being overly focused on fluctuations in fertility rates or the number of births
“Fertility policies should focus on ensuring the reproductive environment for groups with strong current fertility demands, while being inclusive of those with weaker fertility intentions,” according to a survey published last week by the Institute of Public Policy at the South China University of Technology.
“The statistics should stop being overly focused on fluctuations in fertility rates or the number of births.”
China’s birth rate peaked in 2016, and in the past five years, the annual number of newborns has fallen by around 40 per cent, with women in China giving birth to 9.56 million babies last year.