In a bid to counteract the sharply declining birth rates, China’s state council has announced new measures aimed at creating a “childbirth-friendly society.” The initiative, reported by Xinhua News Agency, seeks to enhance childbirth and childcare services while also expanding support in key areas such as education, housing, and employment.
According to a report from the South China Morning Post, data from China’s Education Ministry highlights the extent of the decline in the country’s birth rates. The number of kindergartens has decreased by 14,808 in 2023, bringing the total down to 274,400. This marks the second consecutive annual decline, emphasizing the urgent demographic challenges faced by the nation.
China’s population dropped for the second year in a row in 2023, with more than two million people lost, bringing the total to approximately 1.4 billion. Births reached a historic low, with only nine million recorded, the fewest since the country’s record-keeping began in 1949.
The nation now grapples with a dual demographic crisis: not only is the birth rate falling, but the elderly population is also rising rapidly. By the end of 2023, nearly 300 million individuals in China were aged 60 and above, a figure projected to surpass 400 million by 2035 and reach 500 million by 2050, as reported by Xinhua.
These demographic shifts are largely attributed to the long-standing one-child policy, which was implemented decades ago and officially ended in 2016. The government further revised its approach in 2021, permitting families to have up to three children in an attempt to encourage population growth.
The introduction of measures to create a more supportive environment for childbirth is crucial as China faces an increasingly urgent need to balance its demographics. The government’s focus on fostering a “new culture” around marriage and childbearing aims to reverse the trend of declining birth rates and build a sustainable future for the country.
ALSO READ: Scammers Target 2024 Presidential Election: Here’s How To Spot & Avoid Common Scams
