China's old-age dependency ratio overtakes children for first time

HONG KONG: China is now supporting more people aged 65 and above than children, underscoring the impact of its rapidly ageing population and a declining birth rate.
 

Data from China's National Bureau of Statistics showed the old-age dependency ratio - the non-working-age population compared to the working-age population - was 23.1 per cent in 2025, compared with 22 per cent for children, Chinese state-affiliated media Yicai reported

The ratio has risen steadily over the years, up from 15 per cent in 2016 to more than 20 per cent in 2021.

There are now more than 223 million people in China aged 65 and above compared with around 213 million children aged 14 and under, the data showed.

China's population fell for a fourth straight year in 2025, as its birth rate dropped to a record low.

The country's birth rate has been falling for decades, a result of the one-child policy in place from 1980 to 2015, as well as rapid urbanisation.

Authorities have rolled out a range of measures to encourage marriage and childbearing, including family subsidies, childcare support, and reduced childbirth-related medical costs.

They have also pledged to make urban life more supportive for young people, children and families.