China’s population has declined for the third consecutive year, with the total falling to 1.408 billion by the end of 2024, down from 1.410 billion in 2023, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Despite government efforts to boost birth rates through subsidies and pro-fertility campaigns, the country faces challenges from an ageing population and persistently low birth rates.
Previously the world’s most populous nation, China was overtaken by India in 2023. Attempts to reverse the trend, such as lifting the “one-child policy” in 2016 and allowing couples to have up to three children in 2021, have shown limited success.
The declining birth rate, attributed to high living costs, increased female participation in the workforce, and gender discrimination in the labour market, rose slightly to 6.77 per 1,000 people in 2024. Experts, however, believe this uptick is temporary, driven by delayed births during the COVID-19 pandemic and a rise in marriages in the auspicious Year of the Dragon.
China’s elderly population, aged 60 and above, reached 310.31 million in 2024, accounting for nearly a quarter of the total. By 2035, projections indicate this demographic will make up almost one-third of the population.
The government has begun raising the statutory retirement age, previously set at 60, to address pressures on the pension and healthcare systems.
Despite efforts to encourage childbirth, experts predict the trends of population decline, low birth rates, and rapid ageing will persist, posing significant challenges to the world’s second-largest economy.
Peoplesmind
