China's Population Net Increase in 2023 at 2.04 Million, Lowest in 48 Years

[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] China's net population increase last year was 2.04 million, marking the lowest level since 1962, according to reports by China First Financial and others on the 14th (local time).

China's population decreased by 3.48 million in 1961 due to the Great Leap Forward and the Great Famine, but has increased every year since then. The largest population increase on record was in 1970, when the population grew by 23.21 million.

In 2000, the population increased by 9.57 million, falling below 10 million for the first time in 39 years.

Recently, due to a decrease in the number of women of childbearing age and a decline in birth rates, the net population increase has steadily decreased since 2016.

Population expert Dong Yujing, director of the Guangdong Population Development Research Institute, said, "The number of births is decreasing more and more," adding, "At present, there is a lack of momentum for population growth, so the trend of declining net population increase is expected to continue."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.