As family sizes decrease, China’s population will start to decline by 2025, according to officials.

China, which has the highest population in the world, will experience a population fall as family sizes shrink by 2025, according to officials. Due to its fast diminishing workforce, population growth that is at its slowest in decades, and quickly declining economy, China has been faced with an oncoming demographic crisis.

Despite the country easing its strict one-child policy in 2016, allowing couples to have three children, the birth rate fell to a historic low. By 2035, more than 30% of the population will be over the age of 60, according to AFP, and the nation will likely be in the midst of a severe ageing phase.

In recent years, the nation’s average fertility rate has dropped below 1.3.

The National Health Commission on Monday (August 1) stated that the population’s growth rate has drastically reduced and would eventually experience negative growth during the ‘14th Five-Year-Plan’ period, between 2021 and 2025.

According to AFP, the NHC stated in its most recent report that there is a ‘huge gap between population development and people’s aspirations’ and that ‘currently, our country’s policy system for birthing assistance is not flawless.’

These predictions, according to the authorities, indicated that during the next five years, the population would grow slowly or possibly adversely. Authorities are already passing family-friendly regulations in various parts of the country to combat the declining birth rate.

Families with three children will be able to borrow 20% more than the maximum when applying for a housing provident fund loan for the first time, according to a Monday announcement from Hangzhou.