New Delhi, Jan. 22 -- China has just announced that births in 2025 plunged to 7.92 million, from 9.54 million the previous year, and almost half of what was projected (14.33 million) when the one-child policy was repealed in 2016. In fact, China's births have fallen to a level comparable to that of 1738 CE, when the country's total population was only about 150 million.

Having finally acknowledged the country's grim demographic reality, Chinese authorities introduced new pro-natalist policies last year, expecting the number of births to rebound. But a decline in China's fertility rate was inevitable, like a boulder rolling down a hill. Even if it can be pushed back uphill, it will not happen quickly.

After all, the downward trend in mar...