(CFP Photo)

China recorded a 1.41 billion population by the end of 2022, a decrease of 850,000 compared to the previous year. However, the population in the Yangtze River Delta, a robust economic hub, continued to grow.

Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces in the delta region witnessed an increase of 370,000, 140,000 and 100,000 in their respective populations compared to the previous year. Shanghai, also in the region, has not released its data.

Nonetheless, the population growth trend in some cities in the delta has slowed down due to factors such as the high cost of childbearing and childcare services. Today, women also have more job opportunities, making it difficult for many to balance between career and family.

In recent years, several cities in the delta have introduced a range of policies for prenatal and postnatal support, mainly involving fertility subsidies, more affordable childcare, and housing loans.