In recent years, with the economic downturn, more and more young people in China are choosing to “lie flat” and becoming part of the “four-not youth” (not dating, not getting married, not buying a house, not having children), leading to a rapid decline in the country’s birth rate. On April 22, a joint statement was issued by fifteen departments including the Cyber Administration of China’s Communist Party Central Committee, advocating for policies to promote dating, marriage, love, and parenting.
The document, titled “Opinions on Deepening the Construction of Youth Development-oriented Cities to Assist in Building Modern People’s Cities,” issued on April 22 by the Communist Youth League Central Committee, the Cyber Administration of China’s Central Committee, and the National Development and Reform Commission among fifteen departments, although not explicitly mentioning matchmaking or promoting childbirth, extensively addresses these issues. Chinese media reports have also focused on the core content, with headlines mostly emphasizing strengthening youth marriage and relationship guidance and exploring fertility-support policies across various aspects like housing, transportation, and consumption.
The document outlines various measures, including improving inclusive social activities and dating services, enhancing guidance on marriage and love; implementing childcare subsidies, exploring multi-sector coordinated fertility support policies related to housing, transportation, and consumption; promoting widespread coverage of mother and infant rooms in public places to create a fertility-friendly environment; advancing the construction of fertility-friendly hospitals and child-friendly hospitals to enhance the care experience for pregnant women and children; encouraging the development of women’s health services around the healthcare needs of young women; strengthening after-school and holiday childcare resources supply; promoting the development of “school-commute public transportation”; ensuring equal treatment for migrant workers’ children in terms of schooling when moving to urban areas, and so on.
In response to these initiatives, netizens have raised concerns about the financial aspect, questioning where the funds will come from, and highlighting that income stability is a crucial issue. Some believe that ensuring ordinary people can earn a stable income is essential, rather than merely promoting slogans. They emphasize the need to address issues related to income distribution and labor laws.
Amid the uncertainties in China’s economic environment, the decision-making regarding childbirth is significantly affected. Structural fluctuations in the job market, along with the lack of transparency in the social security system, contribute to young people’s sense of insecurity about the future. In an environment lacking legal protection and support for individual rights, delaying or giving up on having children is seen as a rational decision to minimize risks.
Previously, a Shanghai resident, known as Wang Jie, expressed to a news agency that excessive competition in Chinese society, combined with economic challenges, has led many to choose the “lying flat” lifestyle, focusing on seeking a stable and peaceful life without much room for other life plans.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of the Communist Party of China, in 2025, there were 7.92 million births, with a birth rate of 5.63‰, and 11.31 million deaths, resulting in a death rate of 8.04‰, resulting in a natural population growth rate of -2.41‰. By the end of the year, the total population of the country was 1.40489 billion, a decrease of 3.39 million from the previous year. This marks the third consecutive year of negative population growth in China, with the decline widening.
The total number of births in 2025 decreased significantly by about 17% from 9.54 million in 2024, reaching the lowest recorded level since 1949.