The number of inhabitants of Chinathe most populous country in the world, fell by about 850,000 people last year, the first time a decline has been recorded in 61 years, according to official data published today by the National Statistical Office (ONE) of the Asian nation.
Specifically, China closed 2022 with 1,411.75 million inhabitantswhich contrasts with the 1,412.6 million in the country at the end of the previous year.
According to data from the World Bank (WB), the last time China experienced a contraction of its population was in 1961year in which he lost some 7 million inhabitants in the context of the great famine caused by the failed industrialization campaign known as Great Leap Forward.
The official Chinese press had already echoed last week the possibility of a reduction in the population based on the estimates of demography experts, who attributed the situation to a drop in the number of birthswhich, according to data published today, fell from 10.62 million in 2021 to 9.56 million, a decrease of almost 10%.
The birth rate per thousand inhabitants fell from 7.52 to 6.77 in 2022, which is, according to the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post, the lowest figure since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, in 1949.
The ONE figures also reflect a increase in deathswhich went from 10.14 million to 10.41 million. According to an ONE official quoted by the official newspaper Global Times, the population survey on which these data are based was carried out on November 1, for which reason the death figures published today would not reflect a possible increase in mortality derived from the withdrawal of the ‘zero COVID’ restrictions, carried out at the beginning of December, and the consequent spread of the coronavirus.
It should be remembered that China recently acknowledged that it registered some 60,000 COVID-related deaths between December 8, the aforementioned date of withdrawal of restrictions, and January 12.
Downward trend
For its part, it was confirmed once again that the country is embarking on a trend of agingsince the percentage of people of working age – from 16 to 59 years old – fell from 62.5% of the total population to 62%, while that of people aged 60 or over went from 18.9 % to 19.8%.
National authorities had already predicted that the country’s population was set to experience negative growth before 2025. After decades of imposing a one-child policy and later expanding it to two, China will allow its citizens to have a single child starting in 2021. Third sonalthough the decision has not been welcomed with great enthusiasm by the population, due both to the economic burden of raising children and to the priority that many women decide to give to their careers.
The fertility rate of the asian giant fell below replacement level from 2.1 in 1992 and in 2020, to 1.3, which has led various locations in the country to announce support policies or even subsidies for those who decide to have children.
International experts have predicted that the neighboring Indiawith a population of about 1.380 million inhabitants today, will overtake China in the near future to become the most populous country on Earth.
“(China’s) population is likely to trend downward over the next few years. This is very important, with implications for growth potential and domestic demand,” said Zhang Zhiwei, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management. quoted by South China Morning Post.
“China cannot rely on demographic dividends as a structural engine for its economic growth. From here on out, demography will be a tailwind. Economic growth will have to rely more on productivity growth, driven by government policies,” he added. Zhang.
Source: Lasexta
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