The News
China’s population declined in 2024 for a third consecutive year.
Despite the number of births in the country rising for the first time in a decade, the new data reinforced that “population decline is not a blip, this is the new normal,” a Hong Kong-based professor stold the Financial Times.
China’s demographic challenges are closely intertwined with its economic pressures: Budgetary strains led many young people to not have kids, which will in turn lead to labor shortages.
In the short term, Beijing is looking to boost domestic consumption while preparing for Donald Trump, who has threatened tariff hikes.
China’s 2025 outlook is “one of near-term improvement, but this should not be mistaken for a long-term recovery,” the Atlantic Council wrote.
