China Grapples with Severe Demographic Crisis as Birth Rates Plunge

China is experiencing a worsening demographic crisis, with birth rates in several populous provinces dropping by over 50% in 2024 compared to their peaks in 2016 or 2017. This decline has led to a significant reduction in preschool enrollment and the closure of tens of thousands of preschools. Shandong Province, once China’s most fertile, saw a 63% decline in births, while Hunan reported a 60% drop. Similar trends have been observed in Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi.
The financial burden of raising children in China is among the highest globally, with costs reaching 538,000 yuan ($74,900) for child-rearing up to age 17, and 680,000 yuan ($94,700) when extended through undergraduate education. This is 6.3 times the average income per capita, compared to 2.1 in Australia and 4.1 in the United States.
Preschool enrollment nationwide dropped to 35.84 million in 2024, down by 5 million from the previous year. Over 20,000 preschools closed in 2024 alone, forcing many early childhood educators to seek work in other sectors.
The crisis stems from the decades-long one-child policy, which drastically reduced fertility rates. Despite relaxing the policy to allow two and later three children, the measures have failed to reverse the trend. China’s population declined for the second consecutive year in 2023, while its aging population reached 310 million, or 22% of the total population.
Experts warn that the shrinking workforce and rapidly aging population pose significant challenges to China’s economic growth and social stability.

Published: 6/16/2025