China's Population Decline: Challenges and Changes

China's population fell for the fourth straight year in 2025, with a significant drop in births alongside a rise in deaths. The demographic shift complicates Beijing's economic plans amidst unprecedented declines in marriages. A new policy might temporarily boost births by simplifying marriage procedures.

China's population experienced a noteworthy decline for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, reducing by 339 million to 1.405 billion, as per official data released on Monday. This drop represents a faster rate of decline than the previous year.

The nation's birth rate fell to its lowest in decades, with only 7.92 million births in 2025 compared to 9.54 million the previous year. Concurrently, the number of deaths increased to 11.31 million from 10.93 million in 2024, according to figures from China's National Bureau of Statistics.

Despite a sharp drop in marriages, potentially affecting future birth rates, a new policy allowing couples to marry anywhere in China, effective May 2025, might lead to a temporary spike in births, according to demographers.

(With inputs from agencies.)