China's Population Growth Closer To Zero, May Trigger Labour Shortage & Fall In Consumption Levels: Census

In China, birth limits were enforced since 1980 to control the population growth but the working-age population is falling too fast impacting the efforts to create a prosperous economy.

People walk along a street in Beijing on May 11, 2021. | AFP

Even as China retained its status as the world's most populous country, the population grew by 0.53 per cent to reach 1.41178 billion, up from 1.4 billion in 2019. However, the numbers are expected to decline from early next year triggering labour shortages and a fall in consumption levels in the world’s second-largest economy.

China’s current population status

As per the seventh national population census released by the Chinese government on Tuesday, China's population in all the 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities touched 1.41178 billion.

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It is to be noted that the numbers do not include Hong Kong and Macao.

The latest data revealed by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) highlighted that the demographic crisis China faced was expected to deepen as the population above 60 years grew to 264 million, up by 18.7 per cent last year, as per the news agency PTI.

The ageing of the population will only put pressure on the long-term balanced development of the population in the coming period, the NBS added. The proportion of people aged between 15 and 59 was 894 million, down by 6.79 percentage points from that in the 2010 census.

The data also brought into focus the declining trend of China's working population raising concerns on the impending decline in labour as well as consumption in the country, besides rising in expenditure for taking care of the ageing population.

The growth rate of the population was 0.53 per cent annually on average in the 7th census conducted last year in comparison to 0.57 per cent in the 6th census in 2010 and 1.07 per cent in the fifth census held in 2000.

As per the data, the population rose by 72 million over the past decade to 1.411 billion in 2020. It said annual growth averaged 0.53 per cent, decelerating from the previous decade. China’s population growth number is dwindling because fewer couples have children which is only adding to the strains on an ageing society with a shrinking workforce.

In China, birth limits were enforced since 1980 to control the population growth but the working-age population is falling too fast impacting the efforts to create a prosperous economy.

Although birth limits were eased, but couples are discouraged because of high costs, cramped housing and job discrimination faced by mothers.