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China's Aging Crisis Deepens as Birth Rates Plummet

1/6/2026

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Story summary
  • China faces a deepening demographic challenge from an aging population as the fertility rate falls to about 1.15 children per woman, far below the 2.1 replacement level.
  • The government reversed tax exemptions on contraception, making condoms and birth control pills more expensive.
  • Despite cash bonuses and free preschool to encourage births, high living costs and the legacy of the one-child policy may hinder a substantial rebound in birth rates.