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China’s census: what impact will national demographic data have?
This is a series of stories about China’s once-a-decade census, conducted in 2020. The world’s most populous country's national demographic data will have far-reaching social policy and economic implications.
Updated: 07 Jun, 2021
![](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/2021/04/29/5411822a-8c6d-4df4-b4c3-95770698a149.jpeg)
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[1]
How China’s census may prompt a rethink on births, greying population
Economist warns that ‘China’s population crisis is approaching’, with ‘increasingly severe’ economic and social problems, as Beijing’s policymakers have already begun to change their tune.
28 Apr, 2021
![The once-a-decade census, gauging changes in the size and diversity of China’s population, is an essential tool for future government policies. Illustration: Adolfo Arranz](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2021/04/28/5411822a-8c6d-4df4-b4c3-95770698a149_109dbd84.jpg)
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[2]
How did China ‘coax’ people to take part in population census?
Enumerators open up about collecting census data for the world’s most populous nation, and the difficulties they faced along the way.
10 May, 2021
![China’s census takers were tasked with collecting crucial demographic data on the world’s most populous country, and sometimes they had to get creative to get citizens to participate. Illustration: Perry Tse](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/11/44df4222-b188-11eb-93b7-03206dd91175_image_hires_142305.jpg)
[3]
‘I don’t want children’: China’s young shy from high costs
China’s ageing population is the least of concerns for Gen Z and millennials who can barely afford to make ends meet, much less have children.
12 May, 2021
![Many believe that there is a general consensus among China’s millennials and Generation Z that having children will impose a strong financial burden under the country’s current public welfare conditions. Illustration: Brian Wang](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/14/32c98814-aee9-11eb-9c9f-63ba12e765d1_image_hires_144441.jpg)
[4]
China is relaxing its rules on household registrations
Hukou system has been accused of creating two classes of people – urban and rural.
13 May, 2021
![It is now much easier for university graduates to register to live in places like Guangzhou. Photo: Getty Images](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/13/0b252a3c-b328-11eb-93b7-03206dd91175_image_hires_143233.jpg)
[5]
Facing an ‘unprecedented challenge’, does China have faith in its pension fund?
China’s working age population fell last year, while the nation’s elderly population grew, adding to the pressure on the state pension fund.
13 May, 2021
![The number of elderly people aged 65 and over in China rose to 191 million last year from 119 million in 2010. Photo: EPA-EFE](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/13/272446f6-b3b8-11eb-93b7-03206dd91175_image_hires_183844.jpg)
[6]
The exodus from China’s northeast, and the headache it’s giving Beijing
China’s three northeastern rust belt provinces – Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning – lost more than 30 per cent of their population between 2010 and 2020.
14 May, 2021
![New census data shows the population in China’s eastern provinces rose by 2.15 percentage points to nearly 40 per cent of the total population in 2020 from a decade earlier. Photo: Xinhua](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/20/cfbdecbe-b3df-11eb-93b7-03206dd91175_image_hires_093105.jpg)
[7]
China faces ‘tricky’ reforms to unleash new growth as population ages
Even if China is successful in improving the quality of economic growth, observers say it must reform its birth restrictions and boost child care support to meet long-term challenges.
14 May, 2021
![China’s fast-greying population will mean the government needs to unleash new drivers of growth. Photo: Reuters](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/20/71f8e96e-b49b-11eb-93b7-03206dd91175_image_hires_092955.jpg)
[8]
‘More than some countries’ populations’: China has 30 million unmarried men
Of the 12 million babies born last year there were 111.3 boys for every 100 girls, once-a-decade study says.
17 May, 2021
![China is home to about 30 million unmarried men, many of whom come from poor rural backgrounds. Photo: Reuters](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/17/128772b8-b4a8-11eb-93b7-03206dd91175_image_hires_150141.jpg)
[9]
As China ages, does Japan hold lessons for its shrinking workforce?
Experts say Tokyo’s pension system reforms and its use of robotics and automation could offer some ideas for Beijing.
17 May, 2021
![Elderly residents rest at the grounds of a temple in Tokyo. Photo: AFP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2021/05/14/412a6200-be2d-4d93-9e32-fe66a69199a1_1f76b918.jpg)
[10]
China’s elderly left behind as digital generation gap widens
China’s elderly population continues to grow, but the digital natives shaping the future seem to have forgotten about them.
18 May, 2021
![A student volunteer from Beijing Foreign Studies University teaches as a senior resident learns how to use a health-tracking app, introduced amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Photo: Xinhua](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/18/859b4a9a-b7b9-11eb-9461-e80e43f535ad_image_hires_231624.jpg)
[11]
China turns to insurers to unlock GDP-sized savings to avert pension crisis
China will launch a one-year pilot programme in June to spur the sale of private endowment plans and help ease the pressure on state pension fund. Foreign insurers will be keeping a close watch.
19 May, 2021
![A group of elderly Chinese people enjoys a day in Beijing. China’s state pension fund could run out of money by 2035 by one estimate. Photo: AFP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/19/f72674f6-b7d1-11eb-9461-e80e43f535ad_image_hires_171349.jpg)
[12]
Why fewer humans are working on China’s assembly lines
Machines are increasingly taking over China’s assembly lines as manufacturers upgrade and prepare for fewer, higher-skilled workers.
27 May, 2021
![China’s once-a-decade census reveals increasing pressure for the country's manufacturers to accelerate the pace of automation. Illustration: Ka-kuen Lau](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/05/27/51971290-bdfb-11eb-9b2e-758b3029e26f_image_hires_090640.jpg)
[13]
As China census reveals falling fertility rate, PLA faces a challenge
People’s Liberation Army has expanded sources of troops, including lowering education, height and eyesight requirements, after census showed low fertility rate.
30 May, 2021
![The PLA has increasingly sought more educated recruits, but has had to cast the net wider to conscript the numbers it needs. Photo: Barcroft Media via Getty Images](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/06/03/bae5382e-bea2-11eb-9b2e-758b3029e26f_image_hires_152345.jpg)
[14]
Why are Chinese millennials choosing not to have kids?
A lack of affordable childcare, rising living costs and gruelling work hours are making many young Chinese couples think twice about having children.
31 May, 2021
![A lack of affordable childcare is making many young Chinese couples think twice about having children. Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/06/01/108627bc-bf7e-11eb-9b2e-758b3029e26f_image_hires_114328.jpg)
[15]
‘The 35 midlife crisis’: hitting China’s age barrier in Big Tech
With China’s median age creeping up and amid a limited supply of young talent, pressure is increasing for the age glass ceiling in tech to crack.
06 Jun, 2021
![China's ageist glass ceiling may need to crack as country's median age creeps up and pool of young talent becomes smaller. Image: SCMP](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/06/07/3d5ffdf8-c541-11eb-b0c2-606eecf395cb_image_hires_073733.jpg)
[16]
China ‘gets old before getting rich’, leaving retirement dreams in the air
Census figures confirm that the country is greying rapidly and the pool of people paying into pensions is shrinking fast.
07 Jun, 2021
![Illustration: Henry Wong](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/d8/images/methode/2021/06/07/9d048484-c782-11eb-8e37-bfb237bd82ba_image_hires_193103.jpg)