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China's Population Crisis Deepens Despite Decade of Pro-Birth Policies

Despite ending the notorious one-child policy in 2016 and introducing various incentives, China's population has continued to shrink between 2022 and 2024. The country now faces a severe demographic challenge, with over 20% of its 1.4 billion people aged over 60, a figure projected to reach half by 2100. Analysts and citizens argue that current pro-natalist measures are superficial and fail to address fundamental issues like high youth unemployment and the exorbitant cost of raising children. The economic impact of a shrinking workforce and the burden of caring for a rapidly aging population is expected to be profound.

Key Points: China Fails to Boost Population After Ending One-Child Policy

  • Population shrank 2022-2024
  • Over-60s are 20% of population now
  • Policies called "performative," miss core issues
  • High youth unemployment, child costs blamed
  • Gender imbalance from one-child policy legacy
2 min read

China failing to boost its population after a decade of ending one-child policy

A decade after ending its one-child policy, China's population continues to shrink, facing a demographic crisis with a soaring elderly population.

"If we want to encourage people to have more kids now, we need to put in the same, if not more, effort and commitment to make it happen. - Welkin Lei"

Beijing/New Delhi, Jan 6 China is failing to boost its population even after a decade of ending the stringent, state-enforced birth control policy that skewed its demographics, according to a media report.

The one-child policy, officially enacted in 1980, was targetted at reining in China's runaway population growth. As the country faced significant demographic challenges, the notorious policy was ended in 2016.

Even after the landmark change -- and several other measures to encourage couples to have more kids -- the country has failed to boost the population rates, the KSLTV quoted CNN as saying.

Between 2022 and 2024, China's headcount shrank. As per United Nations projections, people aged over 60 now account for more than 20 per cent of the population of 1.4 billion people. They could make up a staggering half of the population by 2100.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has evoked the need for "population security" and made the "development of a high-quality population" a national priority.

However, analysts and common people expect more policies or incentives to support births and marriages, including addressing core issues like high youth unemployment and the high cost of raising children.

"If we want to encourage people to have more kids now, we need to put in the same, if not more, effort and commitment to make it happen," 30-year-old Welkin Lei from Beijing was quoted as saying.

The "one-child" policy also left China with a gender imbalance and a generation of siblingless children who are now solely responsible for caring for elderly parents in a country where the social safety net remains weak in many places, the report said.

Notably, the country has now launched a pro-natalist directive, with marriage and birth -- for heterosexual couples -- promoted as key to the nation's future; and charging value-added tax on condoms and other contraceptives.

Other incentives include tax breaks, financial assistance for buying and renting homes, and cash handouts for extended maternity leave.

"So far, policies to boost births have been performative at best, and not addressed the fundamental issues of high child-rearing costs and a weak social security net," said Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

The economic impact of the country's shrinking workforce and consumer base and the coming cost of caring for a ballooning elderly population would be "profound."

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
It's a stark warning for any country trying to engineer its population. India's demographic dividend is our biggest strength right now. We must focus on quality education, healthcare, and job creation to leverage it, not make the same mistakes.
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Arjun K
The gender imbalance part is heartbreaking. So many men without partners, and so many girls who were never born. Policies have long-term consequences that last for generations. 🇮🇳 We should be grateful for our more natural demographic progression.
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Sarah B
As someone who follows global trends, this is a massive economic headwind for China. A shrinking workforce and aging population will slow their growth dramatically. It shows that development and urbanization naturally lead to lower birth rates, regardless of policy.
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Vikram M
The "4-2-1" problem is real - one child responsible for two parents and four grandparents. We see similar pressures in Indian cities, but at least we have larger family support systems. The state must build a stronger social safety net, cash handouts alone won't cut it.
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Kavya N
Respectfully, while China's policy was extreme, we in India shouldn't be too quick to judge. Our own population stabilization efforts are important. The key is voluntary, informed choice and addressing the root causes like women's education and empowerment. Let's learn from their mistakes.

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