cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/53901283

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• China’s latest data indicates that for the first time in over seven decades, the country has more people aged 65 and above than children under 15.
• According to official data, 15.87 per cent of China’s nearly 1.4 billion population is aged 65 or older, compared to 15.25 per cent aged between 0 and 14.
• This demographic milestone highlights China’s deepening population decline, which poses significant challenges for the nation.
• The decline is largely attributed to the former one-child policy, rapid urbanisation, high costs of childcare, and gender discrimination.

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China now has more people aged over 65 than children under 15, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics.

It is the first time this milestone has been reached since records began more than seven decades ago.

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This means roughly 223.09 million were in the age group of 65 and over. The statistics body found about 321.22 million people were in the age group of 60 and over, accounting for 22.86 per cent of the population.

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The data underscore China’s deepening population decline, which the NBS has previously acknowledged poses mounting challenges for the country. According to UN standards, a society is deemed “ageing” when more than 7 per cent of its population is aged 65 or above, and “aged” once that figure exceeds 14 per cent.

Official data showed China’s births fell to 7.92 million in 2025, and the birth rate dropped to a record low. China’s population decreased by 3.39 million last year, marking the fourth consecutive annual decline.

China’s birth rates have been declining for decades, driven initially by the “one-child policy” implemented from 1980 to 2015, along with rapid urbanisation.

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