Why Chinese Authorities Announced Crackdown on 'Non-Marriage' Advocacy Posts During Chunjeol Holiday [AK Radio]

"Crackdown on Extreme Feminism Posts"
Concerns Grow Over Steep Decline in Birthrate and Rapid Aging
Aiming to Overcome Through Western Region Development and Policy Investments

In celebration of the Lunar New Year 2025, the Chinese government announced a groundbreaking measure. The Central Internet Office of the Communist Party declared a comprehensive crackdown on internet posts opposing non-marital childbirth and feminism during the holiday period. Named the "Qinglang Movement," this initiative primarily targets the removal of posts that oppose marriage and childbirth or incite gender conflicts through extreme feminism. Rather than a simple campaign, the government has taken a tough stance by threatening to shut down social media (SNS) accounts that publish such content, drawing significant attention even within China.

The fundamental background of this tough measure lies in China's severe low birthrate problem. The number of newborns announced by the Chinese government for 2023 was 9.54 million, falling below 10 million for the third consecutive year. The total population, which was 1.40828 billion, decreased by 1.39 million compared to the previous year. This means that the number of deaths exceeded the number of newborns by 1.39 million. Particularly, the total fertility rate has dropped to around 1.0, which is lower than Japan's 1.26 and similar to South Korea's level in the 0.7 range.

What is even more concerning is that China's low birthrate has arrived too early relative to its stage of economic development. China's per capita national income is about $13,000, significantly lower than Japan (approximately $42,000) or South Korea (approximately $36,000). Generally, the fertility rate falls to the 1.0 range when per capita income exceeds $25,000, but China is facing the low birthrate crisis at a much earlier stage, which adds to the severity of the situation.

On the 22nd (local time), various sculptures were decorated on a street in Beijing, China, to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Photo by AP and Yonhap News.

Along with low birthrate, China's aging population is progressing at an astonishing speed. Last year, the population aged 60 and over exceeded 21% of the total population, nearing 300 million. This indicates that China has already entered a super-aged society, showing a very rapid aging process following Japan and South Korea. Experts warn that if the current population decline trend continues, the population could decrease by 100 million annually in the next 10 to 20 years.

The main cause accelerating China's population crisis is identified as economic factors. After COVID-19, China's economy sharply slowed down, and trade disputes with the United States intensified, causing a surge in youth unemployment. The official youth unemployment rate announced by the Chinese government is 15.7%, but considering this excludes university students, the actual youth unemployment rate is estimated to exceed 50%. As the employment situation worsens, more than 60% of university students are giving up on employment and opting for graduate school instead.

The Chinese government is implementing various measures to overcome this crisis. First, it has completely abolished the previous one-child policy and is actively promoting childbirth encouragement policies at both central and local government levels. Specifically, a childbirth subsidy equivalent to 1,000 yuan (about 200,000 won) is provided monthly, and young couples receive a 20% discount benefit when purchasing housing. Additionally, various in-kind support policies such as home appliances and automobile subsidies are also being implemented.

Reuters·Yonhap News

From a long-term perspective, China is pursuing an economic revitalization strategy through the development of underdeveloped areas. Currently, China's urbanization rate is about 65%, significantly lower than South Korea (81%) or Japan (90%). Considering China's vast territory, there is still considerable room for development, and it is expected that large-scale development projects centered on the western regions will help alleviate the low birthrate problem.

Experts point out that simply providing in-kind support or subsidies will not be enough to restore the birthrate. For a fundamental solution, economic recovery through resolving trade disputes with the United States must come first. In particular, China faces the dual challenge of economic growth and population issues, as it confronts low birthrate and aging problems without having achieved advanced economic development.

The future direction of US-China relations is expected to be a crucial variable in solving China's low birthrate problem. Amid the anticipated tough stance on China by the Trump administration, China is seeking to improve relations with the US through new negotiation tables. Through this, China aims to lay the groundwork for economic recovery and ultimately find a breakthrough in solving the low birthrate issue.

In conclusion, China's low birthrate problem has become a critical issue directly linked to the country's future growth engine beyond mere population decline. The unprecedented internet crackdown during the Lunar New Year period clearly demonstrates the Chinese government's sense of crisis regarding this issue. The world’s attention is focused on how China will manage to catch the two rabbits of economic development and population issues in the future.