China's Demographic Challenges: Population Decline and Marriage Trends

China's population continues to decline, with official data showing a fall by 3.39 million in 2025 to 1.405 billion. Births reached their lowest in decades, while deaths increased. This demographic shift poses challenges to Beijing's economic plans. Marriage rates also dropped, potentially impacting future birth rates.

China's population fell for the fourth consecutive year in 2025, decreasing by 3.39 million to 1.405 billion, according to official data released on Monday. This decline is sharper than that of 2024, highlighting demographic shifts that complicate Beijing's economic strategies.

The number of births in the country reached a decades-low of 7.92 million in 2025, down from 9.54 million in the previous year, while deaths rose to 11.31 million. As China's population shrinks and ages, hundreds of millions are expected to exit the workforce, straining pension systems.

Adding to these issues, marriages in China witnessed the largest decline on record, dropping 20% in 2024. This trend may influence birth rates, though a potential temporary increase in births could occur due to new marriage regulations allowing couples to marry anywhere in the country.