China initiates nationwide population surveys in response to a decreasing birth rate
China is commencing a survey on population changes involving 1.4 million people to address the declining birth rate and the nation's first population decrease in over six decades.
According to a report from Reuters, this unexpected survey, announced on October 10, will encompass urban and rural areas across the country. It is based on a sample of 500,000 households and is scheduled to last for approximately two weeks until November 15, according to the National Bureau of Statistics in China.
The survey aims to serve as a foundation for monitoring China's population trends and will assist the government and Communist Party in shaping national economic, social development, and population-related policies.
China's most recent once-in-a-decade census was conducted in November 2020, revealing the nation's slowest population growth since the initial modern population survey in the 1950s.
Population development has been frequently linked to the strength and "rejuvenation" of the country in state media, especially considering the declining birth rate and the concerns of citizens regarding the challenges of raising children. Factors such as high childcare costs and career disruptions have dissuaded many women from having more children or having children at all. Gender discrimination and traditional stereotypes that place the responsibility of child-rearing on women remain prevalent in China.
While authorities have recently increased efforts to promote shared responsibility in child-rearing, paternity leave is still limited in most provinces.
