BEIJING -- China reported rises in both newborns and the birth rate in 2024 after seven consecutive years of decline, buoyed by a baby boom in post-COVID Year of the Dragon and a slew of birth-friendly policies.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday that China recorded 9.54 million newborns last year, an increase of 520,000 compared with 2023. The birth rate for 2024 reached 6.77 per 1,000 people, reflecting an increase of 0.38 per thousand from the previous year.

Yuan Xin, vice-president of the China Population Association and a professor at Nankai University, credited the growth to a spike in marriage registrations after the COVID-19 pandemic, the Year of the Dragon, and improvements in China's childbirth support system.

China is soon to wrap up the Year of the Dragon on the Chinese lunar calendar, which traditionally features a baby boom. The dragon, or loong, is a symbol of good fortune in Chinese culture and considered the most auspicious among the 12 zodiac animals.

Official data indicated that approximately 11.94 million Chinese individuals married for the first time in 2023, up 13.52 percent compared with 2022, marking the first rise in newlywed numbers since 2014.

Analysts have attributed the rebound in marriage registrations to the fact that many newlyweds had delayed marriage plans due to COVID-19.

"As most Chinese still adhere to the tradition of marrying before having children, the rise in marriages is expected to boost the birth rate within one to two years," Yuan said. "Moreover, our comprehensive birth support policies are beginning to show results."

In 2015, China ended its decades-long one-child policy, granting all couples the right to have two children. In 2021, this policy was further expanded to allow families to have a third child.

Subsequently, central and local governments introduced a range of supportive measures to build a more childbirth-friendly society. These measures included expanding childcare systems and strengthening education, housing and employment support.