Jakarta –
Recently, China recorded a population decline for the first time in 60 years. From the available data, it is predicted that this decline will continue to occur for the next 30 years.
One of the causes of the declining population in China is the large number of young people who do not have plans to have children. In fact, the government has offered various incentives for young people to start families and have more children.
Reasons That Make Them Refuse to Have Children
Quoted from page DW, the younger generations have a pessimistic view of the future. This can be seen from the change in their attitude towards marriage and family.
“Young people in China generally feel that the future is bleak and life will be full of stress,” said Emma Li, a 25-year-old woman living in Shanghai, China, quoted from DWSunday (29/1/2023).
“Having children is a choice that will add to the stress in life. Many of us decide to be the ‘last generation’ in our family,” he continued.
Emma Li also expressed her opinion on statistical news related to population decline in her country. According to him, it will not change his views on family.
“I have had discussions about marriage and having children with many of my friends, and many of them have no desire to follow the traditional way,” explains Emma Li.
What’s Hindering Young People from Starting a Family?
Other Chinese citizens began to reveal the things that prevented them from being able to have a family. For example, such as a lifestyle that is full of pressure and demands in everyday life.
“Long hours, unsatisfactory jobs and pressure to survive on low wages during inflation made it impossible for us to raise children,” said Cynthia Liu, a 27-year-old woman who lives in Beijing, China.
In response, China analyst and assistant professor of sociology at the University of Michigan said that more young women in China are focusing more on their careers and personal lives.
“Gender discrimination in China’s labor market and the extraordinary expectations of motherhood for women are obstacles that prevent them from getting married or having children,” she explained.
Not only from the women’s side, the men also revealed their reasons for not planning to have children in the future. One of the biggest reasons is the effect of the lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and increased control by the authorities.
It is known, after a strict lockdown in cities in China since 2020, the number of citizens aged between 16-24 years who are unemployed rose to 20 million in December 2022. The National Bureau of Statistics figures show that the youth unemployment rate has reached 19.9 percent in July 2022.
“Repeated lockdowns over the past three years have taken a toll on many people, including their savings and sense of security,” said 26-year-old Adam Wang, who lives in Tianjin City.
“Factories and companies are unable to offer basic benefits to their workers, while more and more people are competing for civil service jobs, as youth unemployment rates hit new highs during the pandemic,” he continued.
NEXT: Regarding Incentives from the Government
