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China's one child policy ended 10 years ago but birth rates remain low

Ten years after China ended its one-child policy, fertility rates have not bounced back. NPR speaks with journalist Cindy Yu about what this means.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Jordan-Marie Smith
Jordan-Marie Smith is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.
Rob Schmitz
Rob Schmitz is NPR's international correspondent based in Berlin, where he covers the human stories of a vast region reckoning with its past while it tries to guide the world toward a brighter future. From his base in the heart of Europe, Schmitz has explored Berlin’s techno scene, reported on the rise and fall of far-right rule in Poland, investigated Norway’s salmon farming industry, covered elections in the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, the European Union and beyond, and patiently chronicled a 639-year organ performance in rural Germany.
Jeanette Woods

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