Financial Times April 27 

^th,  2021  

China set to report first population decline in five decades 

The Financial Times ofLondon, reported that the latest Chinese Census  was overdue. The census had been completed in December 2020, but the results had not been reported when expected. They speculated that the reason for the delay was that the likely outcome was a population of below 1.4BN. This would be the first population decline since modern records began. Beijing had previously estimated that thepopulation would peak in 2029.The latest UN Forecasts had placed the peak in2027. The decline had started eight years too soon! Chinese commentatorsthought this was highly sensitivity. It was likely to impact the “self-perception” of the Chinese People.