Big picture: China's births might hit a record low this year, deepening its demographic crisis. Academics admit births could fall to 7 million, with profound implications for the world's second-largest economy.
By the numbers:
* Estimated births in 2023: 6 million to 8 million.
* Drop in births over the past five
It's not unsustainable, it's below the replacement rate. Even if it were slightly above, China has proven to be more than capable of increasing everyone's quality of life while managing a rising population.
That's about 0.5% growth of the national population, or 5 births per thousand people. Less than a third of the global average of 18 births per thousand. Put into that perspective, it's really quite small.