China’s birthrate has fallen to its lowest level in six decades, barely outnumbering deaths in 2021 despite major government efforts to increase population growth and stave off a demographic crisis. Across China, 10.62 million babies were born in 2021, a rate of 7.52 per thousand people, the national bureau of statistics said on Monday. In the same period 10.14 million deaths were recorded, a mortality rate of 7.18 per thousand, producing a population growth rate of just 0.34 per thousand head of population. The rate of growth is the lowest…
Tag: Population
China: editorial says Communist party members must have three children
An editorial in a Chinese state-run news website has suggested Communist party members are obliged to have three children for the good of the country, as Beijing seeks to address plummeting birthrates. The editorial, which was first published last month, went viral this week and drew sharp reaction from Chinese internet users, with millions of shares, views and comments. As the wave of reaction grew, the original article disappeared from the website. The piece, published by a state media outlet called China Reports Network, said every member of the ruling…
How Many People Have Escaped Poverty?
How Many People Have Escaped Poverty? Lucy Tompkins⏳ Reporting on futures past Greg Baker/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images China, the most populous country, accounted for the vast majority of the reduction. As China’s economy grew at a staggering rate, incomes and living standards rose with it. But extreme poverty also declined in much of the world. NYT
China’s Abortion Vow Sparks Worries About Limits
On social media on Monday, after some state-backed news outlets highlighted the line about abortion in the guidelines, some users wondered whether more restrictions were on the way. “Contraception can fail, so not finding a partner is the safest bet,” said one popular comment on the Weibo social media platform. In general, many women are deeply suspicious of how the government will try to boost the country’s anemic birthrates, said Lu Pin, a Chinese feminist activist. Earlier this year, the government imposed a cooling-off period for couples seeking divorce, which…