China's births fall in 2021, as workforce shrinks
ABC News
The number of babies born in China fell again last year, adding to pressure on the ruling Communist Party’s ambitions to boost national wealth and global influence with a workforce that has been declining for a decade
BEIJING -- The number of babies born in China continued to shrink last year in a decade-long trend, official data showed Monday, as a declining workforce adds pressure to the ruling Communist Party's ambitions to boost national wealth and global influence.
Some 10.6 million babies were born, down 12% from the 12 million tallied for 2020, the National Bureau of Statistics reported.
The total population stood at 1.413 billion at the end of 2021, an increase of 480,000 from the previous year, the data showed.
The decline in birth rates could undercut the ruling party's plans to develop technology and self-sustaining economic growth based on consumer spending rather than exports and investment.
