China steps up efforts to boost modernization

China has created a clear signal to adapt to the new norm of its demographics in an effort to enhance modernization by enhancing the overall quality of its population.

China is experiencing a trend of population decline, population aging, and a difference in regional population growth as a result of a decrease in birthrate decline, according to a recent meeting of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs.

At the end of 2022, China's population was at 1.41175 billion, a drop of 850,000 from that at the end of 2021.

A slight decline in population size and an increasingly aging society are inevitable during the economic and social development, said He Dan, head of China's Population and Development Research Center.

With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, China's workforce continues to be a substantial source of employment. The country's working-age population is nearing 900 million, and 15 million more people join the workforce every year.

China's talent dividend, resulting from more education input, is growing at the same time. In total, more than 240 million people in China have received higher education. China's research and development staff is among the world's best.

To advance Chinese modernization, last week's meeting urged China to speed up the development of modern human resources with good quality, sufficient quantity, optimized structure, and reasonable distribution.

China said it plans to take building educational power as a strategic project and improve scientific and cultural literacy, health, intellectual and moral levels of the Chinese people.

In response to population aging, Lu Ming, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, said the nation could tap into the experience and wisdom of senior citizens.

Of Chinese seniors aged 60 years and over, around half are between 60 and 69 years old, Lu said. And many of them have advantages in knowledge, experience, and skills, and their health is still good, he said. They can continue contributing to society on a voluntary basis.

While highlighting the effort to develop human resources, Hu Zuquan, a researcher at the State Information Center, emphasised the importance of safeguarding population security.

Last week's meeting emphasised more efforts to maintain an appropriate birthrate and population size. According to the meeting, China will develop inclusive childcare services, reduce the burden on families of child-bearing, child-rearing, and education, and promote the building of a child-bearing friendly society.