A total of 10.41 million people died in China by the end of 2022, bringing the population to 850,000 fewer than at the end of 2021. 

According to the National Statistics Bureau, it is the first significant reduction in the PRC’s population since 1961, the final year of the Great Famine under the country’s former leader Mao Zedong. 

In 2022, there were 9.56 million births, down from 10.62 million the year before and the lowest number since at least 1950, despite government initiatives to encourage parents to have more children. 

According to Kang Yi, the director of the National Statistics Bureau, the fall in births was the primary reason for the population decline.

“That’s mainly a result of drop in people’s willingness to have babies, the delay in marriage and pregnancy, as well as a fall in number of women of childbearing age,” Mr Kang told reporters after a press briefing Tuesday.

Mr Kang added that the drop — while the beginning of a new trend — was “not something to be over-concerned about.” The supply of the country’s labour force is still greater than the demand, he said. 

“The population will likely trend down from here in coming years,” said Zhang Zhiwei, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management Ltd. “This is very important, with implications for potential growth and domestic demand.”

China experienced an increase in mortality connected to the COVID-19 virus starting last month after the country’s leadership listened to popular outcry demanding an end to its zero-tolerance policy against the virus in early December. 

This year will probably see more COVID-19-related deaths than usual since infections are still spreading across the nation and because fatalities typically follow illnesses by a few weeks. 

The number of deaths this year may increase due to the COVID-19 outbreak.