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China to offer free pre-school education from the autumn term
The Straits Times
|August 06, 2025
China said on Aug 5 it would introduce free pre-school education from the autumn, as the second most populous nation in the world seeks to boost childbirth in the face of a looming demographic crisis.
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BEIJING -
China's population has declined for three consecutive years, with United Nations demography models predicting it could fall from around 1.4 billion today to 800 million by 2100.
There were just 9.54 million births in China in 2024, half the number in 2016 when Beijing ended its one-child policy after more than three decades.
The population declined by 1.39 million in 2024, and China lost its crown as the world's most populous country to India in 2023.
Marriage rates are at record lows, with many young couples put off having babies by high child-rearing costs and career concerns.
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