China’s birth rate has hit a historic low – deepening fears of a major economic shock in the decades to come as the country’s massive labor force dwindles and its population of pension-drawing retirees swells. A flurry of policies from Chinese authorities to spur procreation – from cash handouts and tax breaks to new rules making marriage easier – has so far failed to stop the downward slide, data released last month shows. But the country is also eyeing another potential fix: robots and automation.
