Declining fortunes in Xi Jinping’s Year of the Dragon

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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....