China’s demographic alarms blare as births hit historic low and population shrinks again

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Luna SunJanuary 19, 2026 at 08:09 AM

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China's birth rate hit a record low in 2025, with only 7.92 million babies born, a 17% decrease from 2024 and a significant drop from 2016. This marks the lowest birth figure since records began in 1949. Consequently, China's population shrank for the fourth consecutive year, declining by 3.39 million to 1.4049 billion, the steepest annual decline on record outside of the famine period. The number of deaths also reached one of the highest totals in five decades, with 11.31 million people dying. Experts attribute the declining birth rate to factors such as young people's reluctance to marry and rising economic pressures, especially for women. The data was released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday.

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Key Player Opposition Context

1949 40% 1959 to 1961 40% Economist Intelligence Unit 50% Su Yue 60% National Bureau of Statistics 70% China ×495%

Keywords

demographic decline 90% birth rate 80% population shrinkage 80% china 70% economic pressures 60% mortality rate 50% marriage reluctance 50% national bureau of statistics 40%

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Very Negative

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South China Morning Post

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Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

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90%

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China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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demographic decline birth rate population shrinkage china economic pressures mortality rate marriage reluctance national bureau of statistics

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