Birth Rate

China’s population turn: The start of long-term decline?

China’s latest population statistics show a fourth consecutive year in decline, with births falling to 7.92 million in 2025. A shrinking, ageing workforce is likely to constrain economic growth, but on the flipside, could a smaller population have its benefits? Researcher Genevieve Donnellon-May looks at both sides of the coin.

Genevieve Donnellon-May

24 Feb 2026

The hidden crisis of China’s boom in premature births

Amid China’s decline in birth rate, there has been a rise in premature births. This has proven difficult for many new parents, who sometimes do not have the necessary funds or experience to deal with the associated challenges. Thankfully, there are avenues to get help.

Caixin Global

23 Jan 2026

No children, no regrets? Inside China’s first generation of childless ageing

As China’s first DINKs (“Dual Income, No Kids”) grow old, their lives are thrust into the spotlight. From a retired state-owned enterprise worker who says money and health are enough, to others who refuse to speak, their stories reveal pride, pain and unease beneath the debate, reports Lianhe Zaobao correspondent Liu Liu.

Liu Liu

16 Jan 2026

[Big read] Marrying without love? China’s youth say yes to new marriages 

Amid Chinese women’s rising economic status and youth’s need for individual freedom, traditional forms of marriage are giving way to new arrangements such as cooperative marriages, AA marriages and two-sided marriages. Lianhe Zaobao China news correspondent Lim Zhan Ting speaks with couples and experts to find out the pros and cons of these modern forms of marriage.

Lim Zhan Ting

25 Aug 2025

[Video] Dreaming with AI: Chinese women create online the life they long for

These aren’t real vlogs, but they feel real. Chinese netizens are using AI to recreate both the lives they live and the ones they long for. Though generated by machines, the emotions behind these pixels are unmistakably human, honest and more unfiltered than many real vlogs. ThinkChina’s Yi Jina looks at how everyday voices are being heard through these videos.

Yi Jina

01 Aug 2025

Age of no return: The irreversible shifts in jobs, demographics and power

The era of major shifts is upon us and humanity is traversing into a world where the traditional notions of knowledge, labour, marriage, reproduction, and even geopolitics and territory are replaced by what technology brings, says Chinese academic Deng Xize.

Deng Xize

28 Mar 2025

Love in the age of filters: My struggle with modern romance

In China, rates of birth and marriage are now at their lowest since the 1980s. Engineer and commentator Qin Pengfei — who is a bachelor himself — offers his thoughts on why fewer young adults in China are getting married today. 

Qin Pengfei

19 Mar 2025

China’s youths fall out of love with marriage

Younger generations in China are increasingly shunning marriage, put off by the high costs of starting a family. To tackle the issue, the Chinese government may be better off focusing on boosting the sluggish economy, says Lianhe Zaobao China news editor Yang Danxu.

Yang Danxu

19 Feb 2025

Chinese netizens declare ‘sex recession’ among youths

With China facing a weak economy and low birth rate, people are looking at what can be done to reverse the current “sex recession”. Lianhe Zaobao senior correspondent Chen Jing looks at the issue.

Chen Jing

23 Dec 2024

From ancient kings to modern incentives: China’s struggle to boost births

Faced with a declining population, China has implemented a series of measures to boost its birthrate. Academic Zhang Tiankan evaluates the effectiveness of these policies and discusses the factors that motivate and discourage marriage and childbirth.

Zhang Tiankan

19 Dec 2024

[Big read] China’s underground surrogacy: Clash of wealth, ethics and tradition

The surrogacy industry in China is not out in the open, but it exists, providing services to those who are looking to have children through surrogates. Among the considerations are questions of blood ties and the ethics of getting a third party to give birth to a child. Lianhe Zaobao’s correspondent Li Kang speaks to couples and academics to get their take.

Li Kang

22 Nov 2024

China’s underground surrogacy industry: Operating in the shadows

Surrogacy in China disproportionately affects vulnerable women, exacerbating gender inequality. While declining birth rates pressure the government to address the issue, legal and ethical dilemmas hinder legalisation. The industry persists in a legal grey area, posing ongoing challenges. Lianhe Zaobao’s China Desk looks into the matter.

China Desk, Lianhe Zaobao

19 Nov 2024