ALARM bells are ringing over China’s longer-term economic growth prospects because of weak demographics. Early this year, China reported its first population decline in six decades. In 2022, China’s population shrank by around 850,000 to 1.41 billion people. 

India has overtaken China as the world’s most populous country, the United Nations indicated.

As its population declines and rapidly ages, concerns mount over whether China’s economy will stagnate, thereby making China assets unattractive for investors.