China's birth rate hits record low as population continues to shrink

China's birth rate hit a record low in 2025, falling to 5.63 per 1,000 people, as the country's population fell for the fourth consecutive year. Despite government efforts to encourage more births, including scrapping the one-child policy and offering financial incentives, the population continues to shrink. The country's fertility rate remains low, with an average of one birth per woman, and experts predict the population will decrease further by 2100.