https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/a-demographic-mirage-may-be-distorting-china-s-economic-ambitionsContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/a-demographic-mirage-may-be-distorting-china-s-economic-ambitionshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/a-demographic-mirage-may-be-distorting-china-s-economic-ambitions#u130273Sun, 18 Oct 2026 02:55:40 +0000China's population fell by 2.08 million in 2023, following a decline of 850,000 in 2022. National Bureau of Statistics data shows 2023 births dropped to 9.02 million, roughly half the 2017 level, while deaths rose to 11.1 million. This marks the first time the population has shrunk for two straight years since the 1959-1961 famine. Concurrent reports suggest official population figures may be inflated, with some studies claiming the actual population is closer to 1.2 billion rather than 1.4 billion, potentially distorting national economic planning.Why it mattersRapid population decline t