Declining fortunes in Xi Jinping's Year of the Dragon

However, China is facing its most challenging economic conditions in decades, meaning the holiday spirit is expected to remain subdued this year even without COVID-19 restrictions. The Dragon is an auspicious zodiac sign in China, which means the year is historically seen as a sign of good luck and even triggers an increase in births. That is unlikely this year as the country faces a demographic crisis. China's birth rate fell by 2 million last year. Xi Jinping and China's declining population of 1.4 billion are not feeling so lucky this year as the country faces a prolonged economic downturn….