Demographic Perspective of China's Economic Development (China Perspectives)

China is historically famous for its high demographic dividend and its huge working population, and this has driven tremendous economic growth over the past few decades. However, that population has begun to shrink and the Lewis turning point whereby surplus rural population has been absorbed into manufacturing is also approaching, leading to great change in the Chinese labor market. Will this negatively affect China’s economic growth? Can the "Middle-Income Trap" be avoided? What reforms should be made on the labor supply side? This book tackles these key questions.

This book is a collection of 14 papers presenting the author’s observations, analysis, and opinions of China’s long-term economic development from the demographic perspective, while analysing real economic problems from the past and including policy recommendations. It provides a critical reference for scholars and students interested in Chinese economic development and demographic perspectives on economic development.

Cai Fang is Professor, Vice President and Party Group Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Academician at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Professor Cai’s research interests include labor economics, China’s economic growth, and income distribution. His recent publications include Demystifying the Economic Growth in Transition China, China’s Economic Growth Prospects: From Demographic Dividend to Reform Dividend, and Perceiving Truth and Ceasing Doubts: What Can We Learn from 40 Years of China’s Reform and Opening-Up?