The ending of the one-child policy in mainland China will only lead to a modest increase in the population and will not stop the aging population, data shows. According to the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission (HFPC), 30 million people will be added to the labour force by 2050 but calculations by the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), an American think tank, found that, in fact, the peak increase in population would only be a modest 23 million greater—an increase of only 2%.
The policy change was meant to overhaul a draconian law which had overseen a rapidly aging population and a severe gender imbalance—directly affecting the nation’s workforce. Though analysts at the PRB now believe that the new policy would do little to address this with the number of over 65s doubling by 2050.
This is also overshadowed by the fact that more parents do not want more children due to costs and also worries about poor implementation of the new policy.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
