Up until April 2023, with a population of 1.4 billion people, China was known to be the most populous country in the world. Its high population was the main concern behind the famous one-child-policy. In recent years, however, birth rates in China have dropped significantly, leading the Chinese government not only to abolish the one-child-policy, but began offering incentives for young Chinese families to have more children. Despite this effort, China’s birth rate hit a record low in 2025, with only 5.63 births per 1,000 people, with some young people in China now referring to themselves as “the last generation.” Today, we are going to talk about the origin of this phrase, “the last generation,” and what a declining birth rate means for the Chinese church.
* “We are the last generation”
* “The Last Generation: Why China’s Youth Are Deciding Against Having Children” in Asia Society
* “We are the Last Generation: Exploring Gender, Power, and Resistance in China’s Digital Childfree Movement’ in Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media
* “China’s First DINK Generation Is Growing Old” in Sixth Tone
