Falling birth rate in China: Government is fighting for young people!

Falling birth rate in China: Government is fighting for young people!

Vienna, Österreich - in China, the population sinks for the third time in a row, in a country that has experienced continuous growth for over six decades. The second largest economy in the world is struggling with a dramatic change in demographic conditions, which is recorded as a result of a high life expectancy and low birth rates. According to Vienna.at tries to increase the birth rates with various incentives, such as state funding and campaigns. Despite the lifting of one-child policy and permission for couples to get up to three children, birth rates remain low. In 2024, China registered a birth rate of only 6.77 per thousand inhabitants, one of the lowest worldwide.

increasing cost of living and increasing employment as well as the higher level of education for women are significant reasons for the decline in the birth rate. The challenges can continue to strengthen in the coming years, since the number of seniors over 60 years grows year after year. In 2024, China counted around 310.31 million older people, which is almost a quarter of the total population. Forecasts indicate that this proportion could increase to around a third by 2035, as an analysis by DSW shows, which also shows the future development of fertility, mortality and migration in detail ( dsw.or ).

rapid change in China's demography

In addition, the research group Economist Intelligence Unit pointed out the alarming development that the demographic change of China not only presents the company but also the economy with immense challenges. With an aging population in which more and more older people are dependent on less employed people, the economic balance could be shifted significantly in the coming decades. These demographic changes require urgent political measures to promote both birth rates and to ensure health care for the aging population.