China’s population has continued to decline for the fourth consecutive year, underscoring deepening demographic challenges facing the world’s most populous country.

According to official data released by Chinese authorities, the population fell by approximately 3.39 million in 2025, bringing the total number of people in the country down to around 1.405 billion. The latest figures follow a decrease of more than one million recorded in 2024, confirming a sustained downward trend.

The decline has been driven largely by a sharp drop in births. While China recorded about 9.05 million births in 2024, the number fell to just 7.92 million in 2025, marking one of the lowest birth figures seen in decades. Officials said this represents the weakest population growth rate since 2017.

At the same time, the number of deaths continued to rise. Deaths increased from 10.93 million in 2024 to 11.31 million in 2025, further widening the gap between births and deaths and accelerating the overall population decrease.

China’s population is also aging at a rapid pace. The number of people aged 60 and above has reached approximately 323 million, accounting for 23 percent of the total population. This share rose by one percentage point compared to the previous year, reflecting growing pressure on the country’s workforce and social support systems.

The Chinese government has introduced a range of measures in recent years aimed at reversing declining birth rates, including financial incentives and family-support policies. Despite these efforts, demographic trends continue to pose serious long-term economic and social challenges, making population policy an increasingly central issue in Beijing’s strategic planning. (ILKHA)