CHINA-INTERNAL: POPULATION
The South China Morning Post reported (January 2) that the number of children born in China in 2018 is expected to have dropped to the lowest level since 2000 after a year that “will be remembered as a historical turning point for Chinese population”, signalling a “demographic crisis” that threatens already struggling economic growth prospects. It quoted the official Global Times as saying the final figure for China births in 2018 will drop below 15 million, or more than two million fewer than in 2017. This will fall far short of the family planning authority’s previous estimates of up to 20 million births. China’s National Bureau of Statistics is expected to release nationwide birth figures for 2018 later this month.
|