India this week overtook China to become the world’s most populous country, prompting a sharp reaction from Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin argued that it was important to look at quality as well as size when assessing a country’s demographic dividend.
“When assessing a country’s demographic dividend, we need to look at not only its size but also its quality. Size matters, but what matters more is the talent resource. Out of 1.4 billion Chinese, about 900 million are of working age and have received, on average, 10.9 years of education,” he said.
According to the latest figures of the United Nations, the population of India at present is 142.86 crores. Its population is expected to increase to 1668 million by 2050, while China’s population will decline to 1317 million. The United States ranks third with an estimated 340 million people.
Earlier this week, a top UN expert said it is now time for India to make quick and effective investments in education, job creation and gender equality that will deliver demographic dividends and enable its large population to fuel economic growth. Will do
Wenbin also talked about the workforce in China, noting that the average length of education has now increased to 14 years of education. He cited the country’s national strategy to address population aging – including the third-child policy and supportive measures to address demographic changes.
The Chinese spokesperson said, “As Premier Li Qiang pointed out, China’s demographic dividend has not disappeared, and is becoming our talent dividend.”
(with inputs from agencies)
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