BEIJING • China could see its number of births slide below 10 million annually in the next five years if the government does not quickly abolish its policy of limiting families to two children, an expert was quoted as saying by domestic media.

China's total population may also fall in a few years, Guangdong Academy of Population Development director Dong Yuzheng told Yicai, a Chinese financial news outlet.

The number of babies born in China fell by 580,000 to 14.65 million in 2019 and the birth rate of 10.48 per thousand was the lowest since 1949 when present methods of collating data began, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

It has yet to disclose a figure for last year, although it typically releases such data at the end of February. China's falling birth rate and its rapidly greying society are expected to test its ability to care for its elderly.

Although China abolished its decades-long one-child policy in 2016, couples have been discouraged from having larger families by the rising costs of healthcare, education and housing. Economic uncertainties brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic have further weighed on decisions to have children.

Separate data from the Ministry of Public Security shows that the number of births last year plunged 15 per cent to 10.035 million births from 11.79 million in 2019.

The ministry may not be counting some children in rural areas, said Mr Liu Kaiming, a labour expert, adding that he expects the number of newborns last year to be between 10 million and 14 million. China has also yet to announce the results of a once-a-decade census, previously said to be released early this month.

REUTERS