China's population was 1.408 billion at the end of 2024, marking a decrease of 1.39 million from the previous year.
The figures announced by the government in Beijing are in line with similar trends around the world, but particularly in East Asia where Japan, South Korea and other countries have seen declining birth rates.
The reasons are in many cases similar: the rising cost of living is causing young people to delay or forgo marriage and childbearing while pursuing higher education and careers.
Countries like China that accept very few immigrants are particularly at risk.
China has long been one of the most populous countries in the world, with economic development initially driven by rice cultivation in the south and wheat in the north. After the end of World War II and the Communist Party's rise to power in 1949, people began having more children, and the population doubled in just three decades.
After the end of the Cultural Revolution and the death of leader Mao Zedong, communist bureaucrats began to worry that the country's population was outstripping its ability to feed itself. They imposed a policy that did not allow families to have more than one child. Although this was not a law, women had to apply for permission to have a child, and those who violated the regulation could face forced abortions even in the late stages of pregnancy, massive fines, and the possibility of their child's identification number being revoked, effectively stripping them of their citizenship.
The government's efforts were focused on rural China, where the preference for male offspring was particularly strong and two children were formally allowed. But women in rural areas were forced to show proof of menstruation, and buildings were covered with slogans such as "have fewer children, have better children."
The government tried to ban selective abortion for couples who did not want a girl. However, the fact that abortions were legal and easily available meant that the business of those using sonograms illegally began to flourish.
This has been the biggest factor in China's sex ratio, with millions of boys being born. Friday's report highlights the gender imbalance in China, where there are 104.34 men for every 100 women, although estimates from independent organizations put the imbalance at much higher levels.
More worrisome for the government was the sharp decline in birth rates. China's population fell for the first time in decades in 2022. China was surpassed by India as the world's most populous nation the following year. A rapidly aging population, a shrinking workforce, a lack of markets, and out-migration are putting the system under severe strain.
As spending on the military and infrastructure projects continues to rise, China's already weak social security system is in decline.
More than a fifth of the population is aged 60 and over, with the official figure given as 310.3 million people or 22% of the total population. By 2035, this number is projected to exceed 30%, prompting discussions about changes to the official retirement age, which is one of the lowest in the world. As the country now has fewer students, some free schools and kindergartens are being converted into care facilities for the elderly.
Such developments are reinforcing the saying that China, now the world's second-largest economy but facing challenges, will "grow old before it gets rich."
Government assistance including cash payments for those having up to three children and financial assistance with housing costs have had only a temporary impact.
Meanwhile, China continued its transition to an urban society, with 10 million more people moving to cities, almost one percent more than a year earlier. VOA (A2 Televizion)
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