China’s population has reportedly decreased for the first time in 60 years, with the national birth rate hitting a record low of 6.77 births per 1,000 people.
According to data released by China’s National Statistics Bureau on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, China had 1.41 billion people at the end of last year, which is 850,000 fewer than at the end of 2021.
China’s birth rate has been dropping for years, stimulating a deviation of policies to try to slow the trend.
A total of 10.41 million people died, a slight increase from around 10 million recorded in recent years. China suffered a surge in Covid-related deaths starting last month after abruptly dropping its zero-tolerance approach to the virus in early December.
More Covid-related deaths will likely come this year as fatalities usually lag infections by weeks and infections are still spreading across the country. That outbreak could further push up the number of deaths this year.
In comparison, in 2021, the United States recorded 11.06 births per 1,000 people, and in the United Kingdom, 10.08 births.
Also, the birth rate for the same year in India, which is postulated to overtake China as the world’s most populous country was 16.42.
Deaths also outnumbered births for the first time last year in China as the world’s most populous country logged its highest death rate since 1976 – 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people, up from 7.18 the previous year.
Results from a once-a-decade census announced in 2021 showed China’s population growing at its slowest pace in decades.
Populations are also shrinking and ageing in other East Asian countries, such as Japan and South Korea.
Yue Su, principal economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) was among the experts who expect China’s population would shrink further through 2023.
“This trend is going to continue and perhaps worsen after Covid,” Su said.
“The high youth unemployment rate and weaknesses in income expectations could delay marriage and childbirth plans further, dragging down the number of newborns,” she added.
And the death rate in 2023 is likely to be higher than it was pre-pandemic due to Covid infections, she said. China has seen a surge of cases since it abandoned its zero-Covid policy last month.