Weak economy, COVID rampage likely shrank China’s population again in 2023

News Snapshot:

After the country unexpectedly halted severe lockdowns, there was likely a spike in COVID-related fatalities in 2023, which caused China’s population to decline for a second consecutive year. Meanwhile, low birth rates are maintained by low trust in the country’s economic prospects. Demographers estimate population data on Jan. 17 to show the number of new births in 2023 falling below the 9.56 million in 2022 as long-standing issues such as gender inequality and high childcare costs remained largely unaddressed. China’s birth rate has been declining since 2016. The desire to have children was further stifled, young unemployment reached all-time highs,...