Hub Podcasts Will China’s poverty undo its superpower status?
Aug 29, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Nancy Qian, Professor of Economics at Northwestern University and director of China Econ Lab, dives into China's demographic challenges, including declining fertility rates and youth unemployment. She examines the paradox of empty playgrounds amid educational pressures and highlights persistent income inequality between urban and rural areas. Nancy tackles the country's economic outlook, balancing concerns about poverty and trade tensions with a cautious optimism fueled by China's educated workforce. A thought-provoking exploration!
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Rapid Fertility Collapse
- China's fertility rate plunged from 7.51 in 1963 to about one child per woman today, causing a rapid demographic shift.
- The one-child policy's removal did not reverse the decline, so population decline now threatens future workforce size.
No Immigration Fix
- East Asian countries, including China, have historically low immigration and don't use migration to offset low births.
- China views its 1.4 billion population as large and prefers reducing births before opening immigration.
Empty Playgrounds In Big Cities
- Nancy Qian describes empty playgrounds in big Chinese cities like Shanghai and Beijing despite their beauty.
- School-age kids often stay home studying for competitive exams while only preschoolers and the elderly use playgrounds.