China’s population will begin to fall by 2025 as family size grows smaller: Officials

The world’s most populouscountry, China, will see its population decline by 2025 as family sizegrows smaller, according to officials. China has been dealing with an impending demographic crisis as a result of its rapidly declining economy, workforce, and weakest population growth in decades. The birth rate in the country fell to a historic level despite the country’s loosening itsrigid one-child policy in 2016, allowing couples to have three children. The country is expected to enter a phase of severe ageing by the year 2035 as more than 30 per cent population will be older than 60 years, AFP reported.

The country’s overall fertility rate has fallen below 1.3 in recent years.

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The National Health Commission on Monday (August 1) stated that the population’s growth rate has drastically reduced and would eventually experience negative growth during the ‘14^th Five-Year-Plan’ period, between 2021 and 2025.

The NHC said in its most recent report, “Presently, our country’s policy system for childbirth support is not perfect, and there is a big gap between population development and people’s expectations,” AFP reported.

According to authorities, these forecasts showed that the population would expand either slowly or even negatively during the next five years. In an effort to fight the decreasing birth rate, authorities are already enacting family-friendly laws in several regions of the country.

Hangzhou announced on Monday that families with three children will be permitted to borrow 20 per cent more than the amount when applying for a housing provident fund loan for the first time.

(With inputs from agencies)

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