China's Population Keeps Shrinking, Amplifying Economic Risks
China’s population declined for a fourth straight year to 1.405 billion in 2025, with births at a record low of 7.92 million and a birth rate of 5.63 per 1,000, while deaths rose, signaling an aging, shrinking workforce that could slow China’s growth and weigh on the global economy; despite about 5% GDP growth in 2025 and a record trade surplus, fertility-boosting policies have largely failed to reverse the trend, which aligns with a global shift toward lower fertility.