Capital's population down slightly again

Trend expected to help city deliver public services more effectively

Beijing's population shrank for two consecutive years - the first time in 40 years - as the result of economic structural adjustments and better urban management, an expert said on Thursday.

The capital had 21.54 million permanent residents at the end of last year, 170,000 fewer than in 2017, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. At the end of 2017, Beijing had 21.71 million permanent residents, 20,000 fewer than in 2016.