China population falls for third straight year, sparking concerns over future workforce

China said Friday its population fell for the third year running in 2024, extending a downward streak after more than six decades of growth as the country battles a looming demographic crisis.

The population stood at 1.408 billion by the end of the year, Beijing's National Bureau of Statistics said, down from 1.410 billion in 2023.

But the decline was less sharp than the previous year, when it was more than double the fall reported for 2022.