Xi’an University of Finance and Economics conducted its own study of the demographic situation in China. Scientists believe that the next 30 years will be the most difficult for China: the country’s population is rapidly aging and the birth rate is declining. This was reported by the South China Morning Post.
According to surveys, people are less and less willing to start large families and even have children. According to experts, such sentiments in society are a serious challenge to China’s status as a world superpower. However, there are those who believe that the study of a Chinese university contains many assumptions.
To encourage couples to start large families, the Chinese government recently expanded its policy on families with two children, now allowing them to have three. But researchers who have prepared a new study have found that the main barriers to couples from starting large families are probably more economic problems and a lack of social support systems than what the government says “no” to.
“People do not dare to have children because of growing economic pressure,” the researchers wrote in their article. “There is also an acute shortage of childbirth support and care services.”
The Chinese government is also trying to make housing and education more affordable, but researchers say new measures are not enough.
Meanwhile, new census data, which the SCMP believes are probably the most accurate in history due to the new methodology and practice of cross-referencing, suggest that children now make up only 17% of China’s population, while people over 60 are 18%.
Researchers say this is the first time in history that an older population has outperformed a younger population due to a decline in the number of new births, which, according to all available data, continues to decline.