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“This is an objective outcome of China’s economic development, particularly as the country’s industrialization and urbanization reaches a certain stage,” he said, noting that it is a universal issue and particularly evident in developed countries.

But he expects China’s population to stay above 1.4 billion “for a certain period in the future,” citing positive factors that will continue to support future growth.

He attributed the basically steady growth over the past decade to China’s large population base, which has ensured more than 10 million newborns every year, as well as a shift to the two-child policy that resulted in a rebound in the number of births.

In 2020, China’s population aged between zero and 14 hit 253.38 million, an increase of 30.92 million from 10 years ago, or 1.35 percentage points in proportion to the total population, census data shows.

In response to its rapidly aging population, China allowed all married couples to have two children in 2016. This followed an earlier policy easing in 2013 that allowed couples to have a second child if either parent was an only child.

Ning said the sustained increase in life expectancy also contributed to population growth. In China, the annual number of deaths has never surpassed the annual number of births, due to improvements in people’s livelihoods and healthcare.

“China’s population will peak in the future, but there remains uncertainty as to when specifically it will happen,” Ning said.

“For the next stage, we should continue to pay attention to changes in population growth and respond actively to risks and challenges in demographic development,” he said.

China has made positive achievements in vigorously developing higher education and eliminating illiteracy among young adults over the past 10 years, Ning said.

The population who have received or are receiving college-level education reached 218.36 million. The number of people who have received or are receiving college-level education rose to 15,467 per 100,000 from the previous 8,930 per 100,000 in 2010, said Ning.

The illiteracy rate declined to 2.67 percent from 4.08 percent in the previous census conducted in 2010, while the average years of education for people aged 15 or above increased to 9.91 years from 9.08 years, according to the census.

The seventh census, the largest of its kind across the world, helps China figure out its population size, structure and distribution as well as the latest demographic changes and trends, according to the NBS.

The latest census conducted last year is expected to offer strong statistical support for the country to advance high-quality development and formulate more targeted strategies and policies to promote long-term and balanced population development, the NBS said.

The census collected data including name, ID number, gender, marital status, education and profession of Chinese citizens.

The census covered a total of 1.430695 million foreigners and people from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who live in the mainland’s 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, according to the NBS. Of the total, 845,697 are foreigners.

Some 444,336 people had moved to the mainland for employment, 219,761 for education, and 419,517 for permanent residence. A total of 603,682 people not born in the mainland have lived here for over five years.(Xinhua)