China's demographic crisis has intensified as its birth rate reached a record low of 5.63 per thousand people in 2025, the lowest since official records began in 1949. Official data released on Monday, January 19, 2026, revealed that only 7.92 million babies were born last year, representing a significant 17% decrease from 9.54 million births in 2024. This marks the fourth consecutive year that China's population has shrunk, with the total population declining by 3.39 million to approximately 1.405 billion at the end of 2025. This annual decrease is reported as the steepest on record, excluding the period of devastating famine between 1959 and 1961. The number of deaths in China also rose to 11.31 million in 2025, resulting in a mortality rate of 8.04 per thousand, the highest since 1968. Experts attribute the plummeting birth rates to various factors, including the high costs of raising children, increasing youth unemployment, economic uncertainties, and evolving societal views, particularly among young people delaying marriage and parenthood. Despite the Chinese government's efforts to reverse this trend through policies like childcare subsidies, tax incentives, and extended parental leave, these measures have yet to yield significant results. The deepening demographic crisis poses profound implications for China's future, leading to a rapidly aging population—with over-60s comprising about 23% of the total population in 2025—and a shrinking workforce. This demographic shift places immense pressure on the nation's pension and healthcare systems and presents substantial risks to long-term economic growth and social stability. The ongoing population decline also highlights a pivotal moment as India surpassed China as the world's most populous nation in 2023.