China’s Population Declines As Birth Rate Hits Historic Low

China’s population continued its downward trend in 2025, shrinking for the fourth consecutive year as births fell to their lowest level in decades. Official data released on Monday showed the population dropped by 3.39 million to 1.405 billion, marking a sharper decline than in 2024 and underscoring the scale of the country’s demographic challenge.

Figures from the National Bureau of Statistics revealed that births fell to 7.92 million in 2025, down from 9.54 million the previous year, while deaths rose to 11.31 million from 10.93 million. China’s population has been declining since 2022 and is aging rapidly, complicating Beijing’s efforts to boost domestic consumption and manage rising debt as hundreds of millions of people approach retirement and pension systems come under strain.

The data also showed a sharp fall in marriages, which plunged by about 20% in 2024 to just over 6.1 million couples, the steepest drop on record. With marriage rates often seen as a key indicator of future birth trends, the decline adds to concerns about long-term population growth. However, demographers say there may be a brief uptick in births ahead after China eased marriage rules in May 2025, allowing couples to register marriages anywhere in the country rather than only in their place of residence.