China's population declines for third year in a row - Authorities introduce measures to encourage births and marriages
China's population fell for the third straight year in 2024, with deaths outstripping a slight increase in births, and experts warn the trend will accelerate in the coming years. The National Bureau of Statistics said the total number of people in China fell by 1.39 million, reaching 1.408 billion in 2024, compared with 1.409 billion in 2023.
The data reinforces concerns that the world's second-largest economy will face a decline in the number of workers and consumers. Rising costs from elderly care and retirement benefits are also expected to create additional strain on already debt-ridden local governments.
As in neighboring Japan and South Korea, large numbers of Chinese have moved from rural farms to cities, where raising a child is more expensive. The high cost of childcare and education, as well as job insecurity and a slowing economy, have also discouraged many young people from marrying and starting families. Gender discrimination and traditional expectations that women take care of the home exacerbate the issue, demographers say.
A 12.4% increase in marriages in 2023, many of them delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, led to an increase in births in 2024, but the number is expected to fall again in 2025. Marriages are a key indicator of the birth rate in China, where many single women cannot access child-rearing benefits.
Authorities unveiled a series of measures in 2024 to boost the country's birth rate. In December, they urged colleges and universities to integrate marriage and "love education" into their curricula to emphasize positive views on marriage, love, fertility and family.
In November, the state council convened local governments to resolve China's population crisis and spread respect for childbearing and marriage "at the right age."
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