China’s birthrate fell to its lowest level on record in 2025, and its population shrank for a fourth consecutive year.
The problem is widespread: France recorded more deaths than births last year for the first time since World War II, and among wealthy nations, only Israel has a fertility rate above replacement. But China’s issue is especially acute, with a growing cohort of retirees and a shrinking number of workers, all grappling with a threadbare social-safety net.
Beijing’s efforts to boost childbearing — ranging from increased support for childcare to doing away with the one-child policy — have been “met with a collective shrug” by young people, The New York Times reported.
