Current Demographic Trends in China

Abstract

As the first and probably the only generation of only children, the post-80s in China are not having babies, and the post-80s are not having babies, so the fourth baby boom is not happening. And the bigger problem is that China's fertility rate dropped to a dangerous 1.5 that year. The fertility rate is the ratio of the number of babies born in a year to the number of women of childbearing age in the same period, and generally speaking the fertility rate must be at least 2.1 to achieve a balanced population replacement in the country and not lead to population decline. A fertility rate of 1.5 is a red flag that China's population is moving into a negative growth path. This thesis analyses the challenges posed by China’s recent demographic trends with respect to its economic development and future growth. Policy recommendations are provided based on the preceding analysis.