China posts slowest population growth in decades

China’s population increased 5.38 percent to 1.41 billion in 2020, according to results from the country’s once-a-decade census.

China’s population grew at its slowest pace since the 1950s over the 10 years to 2020, government data shows, adding to pressure on Beijing to ramp up incentives for couples to have more children and avert an irreversible decline. The population of mainland China increased 5.38 percent to 1.41 billion, according to the results of the country’s once-a-decade official census, announced on Tuesday. That compares with an increase of 5.84 percent to 1.34 billion in the 2010 census, and double-digit percentage rises in all of China’s previous six official population surveys dating back to 1953.