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

HONG KONG, Oct 28 – 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% in 2025, compared with 22% for children, Chinese state-affiliated media Yicai reported

• The ratio has risen steadily over the years, up from 15% in 2016 to more than 20% 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

(Reporting by Farah Master in Hong Kong and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Kate Mayberry)