File Photo:VCG

Some 13 Chinese provinces had negative rates of natural increase (RNI) in population in 2021, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. With a net population increase of only 480,000 people in 2021, the lowest since 1962, China is very close to the warning line of negative population growth.

National Bureau of Statistics listed the birth rates, death rates and RNI of 31 provinces. Those with negative RNI included Northeast China's Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin, Southwest China's Sichuan and Chongqing, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Shanxi, Hebei and Tianjin, Central China's Hunan and Hubei as well as East China's Jiangsu and Shanghai.

At least six provinces have their RNI negative for the first time, while East China's Shandong and Anhui are at the edge of negative RNI.

Experts said there are different reasons for different regions to have negative RNI. While the negative RNI in Central and North China's regions mainly resulted from the outflow of young people, and the relatively high urbanization may cause negative RNI in places such as Shanghai, Jiangsu and Tianjin.

Global Times