As the number of residents in China is poised to shrink for the first time in over half a century, Elon Musk is warning that …
As the number of residents in China is poised to shrink for the first time in over half a century, Elon Musk is warning that the nation will see a “population collapse.”
China — which boasts a population of more than 1.4 billion — only added 480,000 people in 2021, according to new data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, as reported by the BBC. The Chinese fertility rate plummeted to 1.15 births per woman in 2021 — even though it saw 1.3 births per woman in 2020.
“This has happened despite China abandoning its one-child policy in 2016 and introducing a three-child policy, backed by tax and other incentives, last year,” the BBC added. The outlet went on to note that Chinese families may be growing accustomed to small families, coping with high living expenses, or hesitant to have children in the face of strict COVID-19 lockdowns. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk weighed in on social media.
“Most people still think China has a one-child policy,” he remarked. “China had its lowest birthdate ever last year, despite having a three-child policy! At current birth rates, China will lose ~40% of people every generation! Population collapse.
