China’s Population Decline Reveals Decades of Policy Failures and Looming National Security Risks

For centuries, China has viewed its massive population as a pillar of national strength—a resource to wield on the global stage. Yet beneath this facade lies a persistent anxiety about managing “the masses,” a challenge now reaching a critical breaking point as Beijing confronts the lowest birth rates since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949.How Did China Turn Its Greatest Asset into Its Biggest Liability?From Mao Zedong’s ominous warnings in the 1950s to today’s frantic policy U-turns, China showcases how central planning and heavy-handed social engineering have backfired spectacularly. The infamous one-child policy, imposed amid fears of overpopulation,...