China recorded its lowest number of births since records began, extending a fourth consecutive year of population decline as policymakers confront deepening demographic pressures.
Official data released on Monday (19 January) showed 7.92 million births in 2025, down from 9.54 million a year earlier, while 11.31 million deaths were registered. The population fell by 3.39 million to 1.405 billion.
Despite policy changes following the end of the one-child policy, fertility remains weak. Demographer Yi Fuxian said China’s fertility rate is 0.98, well below the 2.1 replacement level, adding that existing measures fail to address structural costs facing families.
Key developments
• A brief birth uptick in 2024 (Year of the Dragon) proved temporary
• Marriage registration rules were eased, with only modest impact
• An ageing population threatens labour supply and public finances
Alongside the figures, Beijing reported 5% economic growth in 2025, while accelerating automation to offset workforce decline. China installs about 280,000 industrial robots annually, roughly half of the global total, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
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