New Delhi: China’s demographic crisis is deepening as the country’s population planning initiative `One Child Policy`, which previously forced families to have one child under their umbrella, has now seriously backfired, leaving the population has declined.
In addition, the current generation does not want to raise children, as many are trying to remain single due to rising costs and difficulties in raising families, uncertainties in employment, said Portal Plus, a senior research fellow at the Center for Policy Studies. As quoted by Xiujian Peng. Saying.
Even Hong Kong, a major center of international finance, is rapidly losing its population. According to Portal Plus, these cities seem to be following the national trend, which is witnessing a decline in the birth rate and a rise in the elderly population. Xi Jinping’s strict zero Covid policy is another major reason for women delaying or giving up childbearing.
The number of seniors in China has increased
Despite the declining birth rate, the number of elderly people in China is increasing. By 2035, China is projected to have an aging population of 400 million, or 30 percent of the entire country’s population.
According to Claire Jiang, a media professional, the social media trend “we are the last generation” was started in response to Chinese authorities threatening to punish a person’s family for three generations if they violate COVID rules, which Ignite China. As Portal Plus reports, people in China decide not to have children and remain single.
The unpredictability of living in a country where the government can show up at your door and do whatever it wants is something I don’t want my kids to have to deal with, Jiang said.
China’s birth rate has declined since 2017
China’s birthrate has declined since 2017, despite the easing of the ‘one child policy’ to avert an impending demographic crisis. Earlier, in August, Chinese authorities issued a guideline introducing prenatal and postnatal support policies to promote balanced long-term population growth.
These measures include better maternal care services, public benefit childcare services and better maternity and parental leave policies, according to Tuesday’s guidance from the National Health Commission.
Chinese state media said the newly released guideline said local governments could find ways to expand the coverage of maternity insurance to include workers in flexible employment. In 2021, Beijing issued a new population and family planning law that allows Chinese couples to have three children, apparently responding to couples’ reluctance to have additional children due to rising costs.