China may be the world's most populous country, but that may soon no longer be the case. More people are opting not to have second children or any children at all, a choice that is likely to have long-term consequences. CGTN's Li Jianhua has more.

China, with the world's largest population, faces a possible population crisis. Official figures indicate the nation's birth rate has dropped to its lowest in the 70 years of the People's Republic of China, despite the government's efforts to loosen population control measures.

CGTN hit the streets of several Chinese cities to find out young people's attitudes towards childbearing.

ZHENGZHOU "That depends. How should I put it. I'd like to give my children the best. If my financial situation improves, I would have more kids."

CHENGDU "Children's education. The daily expenses on a child are also quite high. These are the main factors. Too much pressure."

CHENGDU "My children have nice playmates. Many are only children though, so I guess they must be lonely. Also, they can talk to each other if they are in trouble when growing up."

BEIJING "I don't want a second child. One is good enough. It's too troublesome to have two children."

Research shows China's birthrate was around 1.1 in 2018 – the lowest since the founding of the PRC in 1949, 2017's birthrate stood at 1.2. Hospitals are feeling the pinch.

PROFESSOR WANG ZILIAN FIRST AFFILIATED HOSPITAL, SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY "Since China introduced the second child policy in 2016, the birthrate definitely spiked at first, even though our hospital set the entrance quota. And in 2018 the number saw an 8 to 10 percent decline."

Wang adds that middle-aged women are more willing to have a second child than their younger counterparts, which is a burden on the hospital's insurance system.

PROFESSOR WANG ZILIAN FIRST AFFILIATED HOSPITAL, SUN YAT-SEN UNIVERSITY "High-risk child bearing women are increasing. Standards of China's maternity insurance were set during the one-child period. But now the situation is different. I hope maternity insurance policies can be adjusted accordingly."

Research shows China's population will peak around the late 2020s. Experts say the peak shouldn't make too much of a difference, even if the government lifts its current child policies.

PROFESSOR ZHENG ZHENZHEN POPULATION & LABOR ECONOMICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES "Aging population is getting more severe. This is the biggest impact. If we can foresee the change in population and make preparations for it. It would not be a big problem. But the problem is we must know the consequences it may bring to our society."

China is not alone. The birthrate in South Korea dropped to 0.98 in 2018 while the figure needed to maintain a healthy demographic structure is 2.1. Experts say declining birthrates have become a global trend.

PROFESSOR ZHENG ZHENZHEN POPULATION & LABOR ECONOMICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES "Most women choose to give birth during their 20s and 30s, which is also the prime time for one's career development. They conflict. If the family and society could lend a hand, China's birth rate could see an uptick."

Regardless, experts say China's population is expected to witness a sharp decline starting around 2027."

LI JIANHUA GUANGZHOU "China's population is expected to be in a rapid state of decline by the late 2020s. Various factors are leading to this scenario, which in turn may affect the nation's economy, among other things. Only time will tell if the country can find a way out of this trend. LJH, CGTN, GUANGZHOU."

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報道鏈接：https://news.cgtn.com/news/7851444e32494464776c6d636a4e6e62684a4856/index.html? ? ? ? 2019-03-12