China's population declines for third year despite rise in births during dragon year

China's population declined for the third straight year in 2024, despite a rise in births to 9.54 million, up from 9 million in 2023. Deaths outnumbered births, with 10.93 million recorded. The increase in births coincided with the year of the dragon, a traditionally auspicious time. However, the overall population now stands at 1.408 billion, following a decline that began in 2022. Policymakers are implementing measures like tax breaks and subsidies to encourage families to have more children. They are also exploring automation to address the shrinking workforce and support the growing elderly population.