China records first population decline in decades

China has announced its first population decline in decades as what has been the world’s most populous nation ages and its birth rate plunges (Andy Wong/AP)

China has announced its first population decline in decades as what has been the world’s most populous nation ages and its birth rate plunges.

The National Bureau of Statistics reported on Tuesday that the country had 850,000 fewer people at the end of 2022 than the previous year.