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| Chinese birth rate falls to lowest since PRC was formed | Chinese birth rate falls to lowest since PRC was formed |
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| China's birth rate has fallen to its lowest since the formation of the People's Republic of China 70 years ago - despite the easing of the "one-child policy". | China's birth rate has fallen to its lowest since the formation of the People's Republic of China 70 years ago - despite the easing of the "one-child policy". |
| The birth rate was 10.48 per thousand in 2019 - the lowest since 1949, the National Bureau of Statistics said. | The birth rate was 10.48 per thousand in 2019 - the lowest since 1949, the National Bureau of Statistics said. |
| The number of babies born in 2019 dropped by 580,000 to 14.65 million. | The number of babies born in 2019 dropped by 580,000 to 14.65 million. |
| The country's birth rate has been falling for years - posing a challenge for the world's second biggest economy. | The country's birth rate has been falling for years - posing a challenge for the world's second biggest economy. |
| Despite the birth rate falling, a lower death rate meant China's population hit 1.4 billion in 2019, inching up from 1.39bn. | |
| In 1979, the Chinese government introduced a nation-wide "one-child policy" - with various exceptions - to slow population growth. | In 1979, the Chinese government introduced a nation-wide "one-child policy" - with various exceptions - to slow population growth. |
| Families that violated the rules faced fines, loss of employment and sometimes forced abortions. | Families that violated the rules faced fines, loss of employment and sometimes forced abortions. |
| But the policy has been blamed for a severe gender imbalance - with males still outnumbering females by more than 30 million in the 2019 figures. | But the policy has been blamed for a severe gender imbalance - with males still outnumbering females by more than 30 million in the 2019 figures. |
| In 2015 the government ended its one-child policy allowing couples to have two children. | In 2015 the government ended its one-child policy allowing couples to have two children. |
| But that reform has failed to reverse the country's falling birth rate. | But that reform has failed to reverse the country's falling birth rate. |
| Experts say this is because the relaxing of the policy did not come with other relevant changes that support family life - such as monetary support for child care and increased paternity leave. | Experts say this is because the relaxing of the policy did not come with other relevant changes that support family life - such as monetary support for child care and increased paternity leave. |
| Most people can't afford more than one child, they say. | Most people can't afford more than one child, they say. |
| China's one-child policy | China's one-child policy |