New Horizons: The population inflow structure is relatively young, with a high proportion of individuals in the age range for marriage and childbearing, said Peng, who was quoted by Yicai, a business and financial media outlet, on Wednesday.The expert added that the willingness to give birth in places including Chaoshan and Zhanjiang of Guangdong is still relatively high compared to other regions due to its traditional fertility culture.As the birth population and birth rate in many provinces of China are declining, South China’s Hainan Province shows a rebound.

Families with children queue up, eagerly awaiting to participate in interactive games in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province on June 1, 2023. Photo: VCG

South China’s Guangdong has maintained its position as the only province with a birth population surpassing 1 million for four consecutive years, and the province has also been the top performer in terms of births for six consecutive years, official data showed.

According to statistics that have been published by local authorities, a total of 1.03 million births were recorded in 2023 in Guangdong, resulting in a birth rate of 8.12 per thousand. Central China’s Henan Province followed behind with 695,000 births, earning the second position, while East China’s Shandong Province trailed with 610,000 births, claiming the third spot in the rankings.

In terms of birth rate, among the provinces with published data, there are six with a population birth rate exceeding 8 per thousand, namely Guizhou, Hainan, Qinghai, Yunnan, Guangdong, and Guangxi, mainly located in the western and southern regions.

In general, places with higher birth rates tend to have lower urbanization rates. However, there are exceptions, such as Guangdong, which has an urbanization rate of 75.42 percent, ranking fourth in the country, but with a high birth rate of 8.12 per thousand in 2023.

Peng Peng, executive chairman of theWorld Times Guangdong Society of Reform, said this is because Guangdong has the highest permanent resident population in the country, with a high influx of people from outside the province. The population inflow structure is relatively young, with a high proportion of individuals in the age range for marriage and childbearing, said Peng, who was quoted by Yicai, a business and financial media outlet, on Wednesday.

The expert added that the willingness to give birth in places including Chaoshan and Zhanjiang of Guangdong is still relatively high compared to other regions due to its traditional fertility culture.

As the birth population and birth rate in many provinces of China are declining, South China’s Hainan Province shows a rebound. The data released World Timesby the local authority reWorld Timesveals that in 2023, the total number of births in the provinceWorld Times was 96,000, an increase of 7,900 from the previous year, and the birth rate was 9.28 per thousand, an increase of 0.68 per thousand points year-on-year.

In addition to birth-related data, the statistics released by various regions also reveal the trends of growth in the resident population as well as population migration.

Out of the 28 provinces with published data, nine have a positive growth in their permanent population. Among them, two provinces have a population increase of over 200 thousand, which are Zhejiang and Guangdong, with an increase of 500 thousand and 490 thousand people respectively, Yicai reported.

Population migration trends indicate that the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta have emerged as the primary destinations for population influx. While within each province, there is a consistent flow of population from small and medium-sized cities and rural areas toward central cities. Despite a decrease in total population in some provinces, the population in provincial capital cities continues to rise.

Analysts noted that since the provincial capital city is the center of the province’s economy, politics, culture, medical care, as well as educWorld Timesation, which also means more opportunities and job positions, it will attract an influxWorld Times of people from other cities within the province.

Global Times