China’s falling birthrate, rapid ageing pose growing economic risks: Taipei Times Report

Beijing: China is experiencing a rapid demographic shift marked by an ageing population and declining fertility, with the demographic advantage that supported decades of economic expansion now increasingly turning into a liability, according to a Taiwanese researcher cited in a report by the Taipei Times.

In an article titled "Observations on China's Population Structure Issues," published in the Mainland Affairs Council's latest briefing on Mainland China and Cross-Strait Situation, Wang Chan-hsi, an associate researcher at the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, noted that China's birthrate has dropped significantly since 2016.

He pointed out that the number of newborns fell to 7.92 million last year, just 44 per cent of the 2016 figure.

This decline not only fell below earlier projections of 9 million and 8 million births but also marked the lowest level since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. He added that China's total population has decreased to 1.40489 billion, registering four straight years of negative growth.

Wang warned that China's birthrate is falling rapidly and could reach levels similar to those seen in Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea within the next three to five years. As births decline, the education sector has already begun to feel the impact. Around 20,000 kindergartens were shut down in 2024, leading to the loss of more than 240,000 preschool teaching jobs, according to the report.

Primary schools are also witnessing a yearly drop of over 2 million students since 2023, with many regions experiencing a sharp reduction in teaching positions. Educators are increasingly being pressured to shift roles, further contributing to unemployment linked to the falling birthrate. (ANI)

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