China’s population decline accelerates

Beijing is now scrambling to boost falling birth rates through subsidies and pro-fertility propaganda. — AFP

Beijing: China’s population decline accelerated in 2023, official data showed yesterday, extending a downward streak after more than six decades of growth as the country battles a looming demographic crisis.

Once the world’s most populous country, China was overtaken by India last year, with Beijing now scrambling to boost falling birth rates through subsidies and pro-fertility propaganda.