China expects population decline in the next three years

The Chinese authorities expect a reduction in the country's population already in the period of the 14th five-year plan (2021-2025).

This was stated by the head of the demographic service of the State Health Committee of the People's Republic of China Yang Wenzhuang.
"The population growth rate has slowed down significantly and we expect a reduction in the number of Chinese residents during the 14th five-year plan," he said at the conference.
As the Global Times newspaper reported with reference to Chinese experts, the trend of population decline in China will continue for many years. Due to the expected reduction of the labor force, as noted, the PRC will have to optimize the mechanism of socio-economic development, form a new model of intensive growth.
"This is the result of a long period of low fertility rate," said Huang Wenzheng, a leading expert on demography at the Center for China and Globalization (Beijing). He clarified that the problem of low fertility in China will exist for more than 100 years, and in large cities this issue will be especially noticeable.
"The policy of three children in a family will eliminate some difficulties, but it is unlikely that the situation will be changed in a short time," Huang Wenzheng added.
According to the State Statistical Office of the People's Republic of China, the population of China in 2021 increased by only 480 thousand people, to 1.4126 billion inhabitants. The birth rate was 7.52 per 1 thousand people, the mortality rate was 7.18. The natural increase was at the level of 0.34. About 62.5% of the population of China are people aged 15 to 59 years, 18.9% are over 60 years old.