Inflation rates by country and year

-1.4%5%11.4%17.8%24.3%
-1.4%5%11.4%17.8%24.3%
19877.2%
20061.6%
20250.1%
Source: World Bank

Data: World Bank, annual %. For information only — not financial advice.

Year2025Inflation Rate0.1%

Behind the curve

Turning points in China

  1. 1988↑ Upward pressure

    The 1988 price reform and inflation surge — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    The announced plan to free prices triggered panic buying, and inflation surged before credit was tightened.

    National Bureau of Statistics of China
  2. 1993↑ Upward pressure

    Overheating after Deng's southern tour — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    A post-1992 investment boom overheated the economy, and inflation peaked in 1994 before a hard landing.

    National Bureau of Statistics of China
  3. 1998↓ Downward pressure

    The Asian financial crisis — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    Falling external demand and slowing growth pushed China's prices into deflation in the late 1990s.

    National Bureau of Statistics of China
  4. 2008↑ Upward pressure

    The global food and commodity price surge — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    Surging global food and commodity prices pushed Chinese inflation higher in 2008, before the global crisis reversed the trend.

    National Bureau of Statistics of China
  5. 2020↕ Mixed effects

    The pandemic and pork-price swings — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    The pandemic disrupted activity, while an earlier African swine fever outbreak kept food prices elevated. Overall inflation stayed moderate before easing.

    National Bureau of Statistics of China
  6. 2023↓ Downward pressure

    The property crisis and disinflation — Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)

    The property-sector downturn and weak demand pushed consumer-price growth toward zero in 2023-24.

    National Bureau of Statistics of China

These are selected historical influences, not a complete account of inflation. An upward-pressure event can coincide with a peak when its inflationary effect has already occurred or when other forces begin pushing inflation lower. The markers show the years in which events occurred, although their effects may extend into later years.

What is the inflation in China?

The annual inflation rate in China was 0.1% in 2025, the most recent year in the World Bank dataset. That means prices rose 0.1% on average compared with the year before. Use the chart above to explore China's full inflation history from 1987 to 2025, and to compare it with any other country.

How inflation in China has changed

Inflation in China peaked at 24.3% in 1994 and reached its lowest point at -1.4% in 1999. Averaged across the 39 years of available data (1987–2025), the rate has been 4.4% per year.

Frequently asked questions about inflation in China

What is the current inflation rate in China?

The latest available annual figure is 0.1% in 2025, from the World Bank. Because the figures are reported annually, they may not reflect the most recent monthly reading published by China's statistical office.

What was the highest inflation rate in China?

The highest annual inflation rate on record is 24.3%, reached in 1994.

What was the lowest inflation rate in China?

The lowest annual inflation rate on record is -1.4%, recorded in 1999.

Where does the inflation data for China come from?

All figures come from the World Bank's World Development Indicators (indicator FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG), which report annual consumer price inflation for more than 200 countries and territories from 1960 onward.