Beijing: China’s population has fallen for the fourth successive year in 2025. As per officials, the birth rates have sunk to a record low last year despite a number of steps taken by the government to boost the same.
Dip in population quicker than 2024
Sharing details, the authorities said that China’s population dipped by 3.39 million last year to 1.4 billion. The government data suggested on Monday that it was a quicker decline than a year before in 2024.
The data added that the population of the country fell by to 5.63 per 1,000 people. While it was a record low since 1959, the death rate increased by 8.04 per 1,000 people, the highest since the year 1968. As reported, in recent times, China is also encouraging its citizens to get married and have children. Notably, in 2016, China scrapped its one-child policy and updated it with the two-child policy. After realising that the policy led to nowhere, China in 2021 encouraged three children per couple.
Chinese Govt offers money to parents
To encourage more children, the Chinese government offered $500 dollars for parents of each kids upto the age of three. A number of provinces in China have also announced baby bonuses and extended maternity leaves, BBC reported.
Currently, China has one of the lowest mortality rates across the world, with one birth per woman. Neighbouring countries of China, like Singapore and South Korea too have low fertility rates in their countries.
Dip in economy leads economic problems
In recent times, the fall in the economy has also led to economic and social problems for the world’s second-largest economy. The weaker economy has led to lesser number of workforce and depleting consumer sentiments. Many elderly citizens are also forced to live on government payments, as many young children are leaving their parents.