Population

Japanese academic Hisakazu Kato observes that Japan's low birth rate has been an issue for decades seemingly with no solution, and despite efforts by the Japanese government to address the problem, its policies have come under criticism for not being what the people need.

Dalian in China’s Liaoning province is not the first place one would think of in relation to the tech industry, but northeast China — despite the gap in its development compared to other parts of China — hopes to ride the wave of tech development, such as in the area of robotics.

Singapore's Health Minister Ong Ye Kung delivered the keynote speech entitled "Youths – Bridge Between East and West, Pivot Between Present and Future" at the Lianhe Zaobao Singapore-China Forum 2023 held in Beijing on 21 November. He spoke about issues affecting the youths of today — whether in China or Singapore — noting that while they have big issues to tackle, they still have much to look forward to in this pivotal moment in history. This is the English version of his keynote address delivered in Mandarin.

Recent economic indicators have signalled that China’s economy is bottoming out, but many still believe that more needs to be done as the effect of government policies are still falling short of expectations. Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Chen Jing speaks with analysts and academics to find out what China needs to do to avoid economic stagnation or even a collapse.

China’s population policies have had a tendency to veer towards the extreme since the era of Mao, says commentator Yu Shiyu. A delayed response to adjusting the one-child policy, which has resulted in a declining population and is expected to have an adverse economic impact, demonstrates the inefficiency of an authoritarian system in self-correcting. Its decision making could also swing between extremes as it is based on subjective top-level thinking.

Local governments in Chinese cities are taking extra measures to encourage couples to marry early and have children. However, given the youth’s shifting values and society’s tolerance for singlehood, these measures are falling short. Meanwhile, netizens are lamenting that government policies should not be coercive or objectify women.

Whether China can prove naysayers wrong and keep up its good national fortunes depends on solving old problems associated with restarting the mechanisms of the Soviet Union model, and tackling new problems arising from successful development.

With Chinese property giant Evergrande filing for bankruptcy in the US and other companies like Country Garden tottering on the brink, China’s property sector is plunging further into a crisis that could have major ramifications on the country’s real economy and financial sector. Economist Alicia García Herrero explains.

Chinese academic Han Heyuan notes that following the pandemic, disposable income in China is not at a level that allows for more domestic consumer spending, leading to economic growth being hampered. Also, the Chinese mentality is one of saving rather than spending, which makes it more of a challenge to encourage domestic demand.