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POPULATION DEMOGRAPHIC CKGSB: The Causes of China’s Population Decline and How to Reverse it 
Original article: https://english.ckgsb.edu.cn/blog/the-causes-of-chinas-population-decline-and-how-to-reverse-it/ Peter Burgess COMMENTARY Peter Burgess | ||
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The Causes of China’s Population Decline and How to Reverse it
Ou-yang Hui – Dean’s Distinguished Chair, Professor of Finance, and Associate Dean for the Executive MBA Program Feb 07, 2023 China’s National Bureau of Statistics released data on January 17 revealing that the country’s population at the end of 2022 stood at 1.41 billion – a decline of 850,000 from the previous year. This marks the first time the country’s population has fallen since 1962. Increasing the fertility rate is a challenge for any nation. In China, however, where fertility rates have been low for many years and the legacy of the one-child policy is deeply rooted in the culture, increasing the birth rate will be a significant challenge. The Connection Between Fertility Rate and GDP Per Capita The first factor that determines fertility growth is a country’s scale of economic and social development. As a country gets richer and its GDP per capita income increases, fertility rate will generally fall. China’s fertility rate, however, is the lowest among nations with comparable GDP per capita. We created a model based on the relationship between GDP per capita and the corresponding birth rate. Our data shows that Japan – long considered a country with a low birth rate – has a fertility rate of 1.4, which actually exceeds the theoretical value that would correspond to its GDP per capita of USD $39,000. The United States and Singapore show a similar trend. Moreover, due to the high costs of education and intense levels of competition in Taiwan and South Korea, the real birth rate falls 0.5 points below what it should be. This differential is even greater in China at an astonishing 1.0. In other words, China ‘s current GDP is USD $10,000. Its theoretical fertility rate should be as high as 2.3, yet its real fertility rate is only 1.3. China has emerged as one of the nations with the bleakest population prospects, experiencing a shrinking population before it has reached a high level of wealth. There are many reasons for this. The One-Child Policy Although the family planning policy is no longer in place, its legacy nevertheless has had a significant impact on China. It has both altered the concept of childbearing in society and drastically reduced the number of women of childbearing age. Currently, the number of women of childbearing age in China has shrunk by 13% compared to ten years ago. In the next ten years it could shrink by 30% or more. The Cultural Impact Many attitudes among East Asian cultures which have had a suppressing effect on fertility include:
There is also another cultural aspect that is unique to China: its labor participation rate is the highest among all East Asian countries. This highlights the difficulties of childcare and the opportunity cost of childbirth. One of the most frequently reported reasons for women’s resistance to having a second child in China is “no one to take care of the child”, according to the country’s numerous fertility surveys. High House Prices, Education Costs, and a Large Proportion of Migrants Numerous studies in China indicate that “high house prices” have put families off wanting to have children. This trend is particularly evident in large and medium-sized cities. In terms of education, a lack of investment and an unequal distribution of academic resources across the country has led to the concept of “involution” (or “neijuan” as it’s called in China), where increased pressure and competition has significantly reduced the family’s desire to have children. With regard to population mobility, because an increasing number of young people from rural areas are moving to cities, spouses living apart has become a common phenomenon. Even if migrants work in the same city, their economic status hinders them from attaining a residential permit, buying a house, and attaining access to medical care and education. Is Negative Growth Reversible? Two scenarios may reverse the trend of negative growth:
Sweden only spends around 3% of GDP on family benefits which is significantly lower when compared to countries such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. So what makes Sweden’s family planning policy particularly comprehensive?
In addition to its “Three-Child Policy” (which allows couples to have up to three children), as well as various other associated measures introduced this year, China should take the following additional measures to increase its fertility rate:
| The text being discussed is available at | https://english.ckgsb.edu.cn/blog/the-causes-of-chinas-population-decline-and-how-to-reverse-it/ and |