, Columnist
China’s Aging Problem Is a Serious Threat to Growth
Countries, including the U.S., need accelerated labor productivity to offset their shrinking workforce. Unfortunately, no one really knows how to make that happen.
They’ve done their bit.
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
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The trade war between the U.S. and China is obscuring a key fact: Economic growth for both countries will be significantly slower than in the past, for the simple reason that their populations are aging rapidly.
The aging challenge is materially worse in China. And unfortunately for the Chinese, the decision to loosen the one-child policy in January 2016 doesn’t seem to have worked to boost births.