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China census and demographics 2021

This photo taken on March 21, 2013 shows a woman with one of her grandchildren in their home in Chengde, Hebei province. Photo: AFP

Opinion | Why China faces a long struggle to arrest its population decline

After four decades of birth control, China has finally woken up and realised that it may have gone too far in implementing the one -child policy, but Beijing’s U-turn in population policy has come too late.

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Shanghai seeks answers as only 1 out of 8 native mothers have a second child

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Opinion | The fallout from China’s one-child policy will only get worse

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Will urbanisation be China’s new economic engine as population shrinks?

With China’s fertility rate falling and its population becoming increasingly older, dwindling consumption presents ‘a brand new challenge that China has never faced before’.

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People older than 60 account for more than 20 per cent of residents in 13 of China’s 31 provincial-level jurisdictions. Photo: Getty Images

China’s pension burden in spotlight after new population figures raise concerns

Citizens aged 60 or over account for more than a fifth of residents in 13 of China’s 31 provincial-level jurisdictions, highlighting the challenges ahead for the country’s pension system.

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Editorial | Population push by Beijing calls for shift in attitudes of society

State Council proposals to reverse a declining population through a series of incentives are only the beginning and require the support of all.

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Chinese district mulls childcare subsidy to turn the tide on birth crisis

Longwan district in Wenzhou has announced plans to give families a childcare allowance for toddlers, the latest attempt by Chinese authorities to encourage births as the country’s population rapidly ages.

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Beijing has endorsed a number of new policies to boost births, including allowing couples to have up to three children in August last year. Photo: AFP

‘Extremely low’ birth rate in Wuhu highlights China’s demographic crisis

Wuhu’s population problem offers a window into the range of factors influencing China’s low birth rate, including couples choosing to marry later or not have kids at all due to high costs and a lack of support.

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China’s low birth rate prompts Elon Musk to warn of ‘population collapse’

Demographer says the pandemic has exacerbated the population decline trend, with estimated 2 million people postponing or abandoning plans to have a baby.

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More in China are young, free and single and ready to spend, and firms know it

Firms in China are targeting ‘singles’ as a new consumption demographic as more people are expected to live alone after the number of marriages registered hit a new low last year.

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The finding said the top six most searched product categories by women on e-commerce platforms as of January included skincare products, kitchen appliances, cosmetics, dairy products, snacks and ready-to-eat-meals. Photo: Reuters

In a China first, province subsidises maternity leave for second, third child

Companies in Jiangsu can now claim a reimbursement for maternity leave pay provided to employees who have a second and third child, a policy that could help counter discrimination against women.

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Jiangsu has became the first Chinese province to subsidise companies that pay maternity leave to staff for a second or third child. Photo: EPA-EFE

Study of elderly Chinese finds higher BMI linked to lower mortality

Research focuses on Chinese people aged 80 and over and results may not apply to other age and ethnic groups, such as those in Western countries: paper.

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As I See It | China’s child separation Covid-19 rules damaging bid to boost birth rate

Hong Kong and Shanghai have both reversed policies where Covid-positive youngsters were kept apart from their parents, but there will still be a negative impact on fertility, and human rights record.

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China can boost births by improving living standards, demographer says

Cai Fang, with the CASS, also points to an ‘urgent need’ to make basic public services widely available.

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There were just over seven babies born per 100 people in mainland China last year, a record low. Photo: Xinhua

‘To have more children, we are asking Chinese women to get married early’

In China, men can get married at 22 and women can wed at 20 – a policy in place since 1980, shortly after Beijing implemented its decades-long one-child policy.

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Roughly half as many Chinese couples are getting married every year compared with the record high set in 2013. Photo: AFP

China must lift all birth restrictions amid demographic crisis, delegates urge

China’s rapidly slowing population growth and dwindling fertility rate have set off alarms for urgent measures to be laid out in Beijing’s annual ‘two-sessions’ parliamentary gatherings.

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China vows to tackle ‘insufficient’ elderly care as ageing crisis worsens

China’s 14th five-year plan on elderly care has highlighted a dire need to improve services for people above 65, while promising to build more facilities for people at the end of their lives and with chronic illness.

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Facing economic decline, Chinese rust-belt province unveils population plan

Heilongjiang’s population has plummeted by 16 per cent, or 6.46 million, from a decade ago, according to data from China’s 2020 census. Though severe, the decline is indicative of broader demographic challenges facing the nation.

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China is facing multiple demographic challenges like a low birth rate. Photo: AFP

China’s population crisis could give women greater reproductive rights

Some say institutional changes to controversial policies are long overdue, as China looks to adapt to the reproductive needs and rights of its people, but ethical concerns remain.

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Grim video of chained mother stirs memories of China’s ‘missing girls’

Viral images of a mother chained by the neck in a tiny room in Jiangsu province have stoked debate in China about human trafficking and the gender imbalance in rural areas.

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China pledges support for empty nesters as ageing crisis deepens

China is prioritising elderly care as its population rapidly ages, putting pressure on the medical system and threatening to weigh on economic growth.

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China is placing more focus on elderly care as its population rapidly ages. Photo: AFP

Explainer | Is a demographic turning point just around the corner for China?

Mainland China’s overall population increased to 1.4126 billion in 2021, but Chinese mothers gave birth to just 10.62 million babies last year.

Mainland China’s overall population increased to 1.4126 billion in 2021 as Chinese mothers gave birth to just 10.62 million babies last year. Photo: AP

Editorial | Decisions need to be made on the complex issue of retirement

A fast-ageing population with evermore retirees and a shrinking workforce is a serious problem in mainland China with a state think tank estimating that funds in the urban pension scheme may be depleted by 2035.

Has one philosophy student changed the face of migrant workers in China?

Social media recently became enthralled by the story of a 31-year-old migrant who taught himself English, translated a philosophy book and found he could make a living without manual labour, bucking migrant stereotypes.

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Chinese county sparks storm by telling ‘leftover’ women: marry jobless men

Yihuang county in Jiangxi province is offering women a host of sweeteners to encourage them to marry, the latest effort by a local government to address China’s declining birth rate.

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China is grappling with a declining marriage rate and birth rate. Photo: Xinhua

Demographers assess pace, severity of China’s ‘normalised phase of decline’

Demographers offer varying takes on China’s population outlook, with some saying it could shrink by 1 million a year from 2025, while others foresee a more drawn-out decline.

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Chinese mothers had just 10.62 million babies last year, as the national birth rate fell to a record-low 7.52 per 1,000 people. Photo: Getty Images

Will China’s 2021 birth data mark a turning point in demographic crisis?

Annual data will show whether China’s number of births and birth rate hit record lows in 2021, and will give breakdowns in terms of age, gender and residence.

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Is printing trillions of yuan the ‘only solution’ to China’s population woes?

Controversial comments by Ren Zeping suggest that women in their mid- to late-forties can be incentivised to have more children, but demographers and state media warn of health and inflation risks.

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China census and demographics 2021
The latest news, analysis and opinion on China census and demographics 2021. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
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