What information from China’s 2020 census raised concerns about population trends?

Data from China’s 2020 census raised significant concerns regarding an impending demographic and economic crisis. The census highlighted three primary trends that prompted the government to further relax family-planning restrictions:12

• Low birth and fertility rates: Despite the end of the one-child policy in 2016, birth and fertility rates remained low, indicating that previous efforts to encourage larger families had not achieved the desired results.132
• Rapidly aging population: The combination of increased longevity and decades of restricted births resulted in a growing proportion of elderly citizens, placing strain on social support systems.12
• Shrinking workforce: The decline in the number of young people entering the population contributed to a reduction in the available workforce, threatening long-term economic stability.132

In response to these findings, the Chinese government announced in 2021 that married couples would be permitted to have up to three children, accompanied by promises of supportive policies in areas such as childcare, education, and finance to address the underlying barriers to family expansion.12