China may have more pets than children under 4 by year end – Report

China’s urban pet population is set to surpass the number of children under four by year end, according to reports by CNN and Goldman Sachs.

The reports, released on Thursday, noted that China’s population is ageing rapidly and its workforce is shrinking, following decades of a one-child policy.

A study by the YuWa Population Research Institute found that China is one of the most expensive countries to raise a child, surpassing Australia and France in relative terms.

China’s government, which ended the one-child policy in 2016 and later relaxed birth restrictions in 2021 to allow three children, is now struggling to boost birth rates, having previously been successful in limiting them.

Couples interviewed for the study like Hansen, 36, and Momo, 35, are opting out of having children and instead choosing to become pet owners, a trend increasingly common among Chinese…