Perhaps the most highly anticipated question was about the future of childbirth in China, as the country ages rapidly. The answer was striking: On average, Chinese women are expected to have just 1.3 children each over the course of their lives. That would be one of the lowest fertility rates in the world. In 2019, only five countries had lower rates — South Korea, Singapore, Malta, Ukraine and Spain — according to World Bank data. Liang Jianzhang, a demography expert at Peking University, said he expected that the government would lift its remaining limits on fertility soon.

Source: New York Times May 11, 2021 09:49 UTC