China records a massive drop in population raising many questions

China recorded its first reduction in population numbers since 1961 with a massive 850,000 drop in 2022.

Reuters news agency reported on January 17 that the population of the country dropped to 1 billion 411 million 750 thousand.

The sharp drop in the population raises questions for many about the country´s openness with regard to excess deaths and its zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy. Despite countries across the world recording large numbers of deaths during the pandemic, China recorded few.

Since the removal of the zero-tolerance policy following riots and the introduction of travel restrictions for people departing from China, the country has started to record much higher figures adding to suspicions.

The last time China recorded a decrease in population it also recorded a high birth rate of more than 9.5 million. But that year mass starvation resulted in more than 10.4 million dying.

With the “One family one child” policy having affected the country´s demographics negatively many local authorities are now trying to encourage bigger families. This is becoming even more important as the population rapidly ages, and affluence reduces the number of couples having children.

The massive drop in China´s population comes at a time when the economy has slowed due in part to the pandemic, but also logistics issues and the war in Ukraine.

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