Beijing/New Delhi, Jan 20 (NationPress) Recent trends in China's birth rate indicate that the demographic damage inflicted by the one-child policy could potentially be irreversible, as reported by media sources. Despite Beijing's efforts to implement family-support measures and childcare subsidies, the number of births has dramatically decreased, hitting a historic low last year — a drop of approximately 10 million from the peak seen in 2016, as cited by the South China Morning Post.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, only 7.92 million births were recorded in 2025, which is a staggering 17 percent decline compared to the 9.54 million births in 2024.

“This represents the lowest birth rate since record-keeping began in 1949, surpassing the previous low established in 2023,” the report highlighted.

The Bureau's data also showed a decrease in the total population by 3.39 million in 2025, dropping from 1.4083 billion to 1.4049 billion, marking the most significant annual population decline recorded.

Moreover, 2025 witnessed one of the highest mortality rates in five decades, with around 11.31 million deaths.

“The rapid pace of decline is alarming, particularly without any major external shocks,” stated Su Yue, principal economist for China at the Economist Intelligence Unit. Yue attributes this declining trend to young people's reluctance to marry, coupled with rising economic challenges.

“This data should signal to policymakers the urgent need to focus on domestic structural reforms,” she emphasized. The expert asserted that “a robust policy response to fertility concerns is essential to mitigate the risks associated with a shrinking consumer base in the future.”

In response, China has intensified its initiatives to counteract the dwindling birth rate by launching various family-support policies aimed at reducing child-rearing expenses and alleviating pressures that prevent couples from having children.

These policies include a national childcare subsidy program that provides up to $1,534 annually for each child under three.

“During the initial stages of population decline, fluctuations in birth rates are common before stabilizing,” remarked Yuan Xin, vice president of the China Population Association and a demography professor at Nankai University in Tianjin. “However, despite short-term variations, a return to positive growth appears highly unlikely.”

Last year, central authorities also committed to broadening insurance coverage for all out-of-pocket childbirth expenses and aimed to improve childcare by addressing longstanding shortages, inconsistencies in quality, and inadequate oversight in the sector, the report concluded.