Abortion was its bomb to its economy.
Had it not been for the abortion of 500 million Chinese babies, their population and economy would still be growing rather than collapsing.
First time I've heard anything like this phrase used in a mainline economic journal or essay.
The Chinese were always mercantilists and we were always suckers. Yet the MS(Econ)M was not allowed to tell us.
Their economy's dependence on women in the workforce is the real long-term destroyer of its society. Abortion is just a symptom.
All industrialized nations (China, Japan, US, Europe) need to figure out a way to get their native women to marry in their early 20s and make at least 3 babies.
Or civilization is through.
By whatever means necessary. Even going full "Handmaids Tale".
China's "social credit" system may give them an advantage if they choose to use it.