By Vision Times TV
China’s northeastern provinces — Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning — once hailed as the industrial heartland of the country, are now facing a dramatic unravelling. Entire villages sit empty, major cities are losing residents at staggering rates, and homes are selling for the cost of a cheap appliance.
The so-called “Northeast phenomenon” has become a national warning sign, prompting many to ask: Is this region a preview of China’s economic future?
‘Houses are cheaper than cabbage’
A viral video from Heilongjiang’s Jixi City shocked viewers nationwide: “Jack Ma’s prediction came true — homes in the Northeast are cheaper than cabbage,” says a resident as he pans to rows of houses sitting empty. “A 65-square-meter apartment in Jixi sold for just over 10,000 yuan — about 153 yuan per square meter. Two months of a regular worker’s salary can buy a home. Why even bother with a mortgage? The real question is: Do you dare take the deal?”
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Meanwhile, in Shenyang, a resident noted that prices have fallen back to levels last seen a decade ago: “Shenyang housing has dropped to 2015–2016 levels. The issue isn’t the price; there are simply no buyers.” Second-hand homes have been sitting unsold for years, experts note. Even new developments struggle to attract residents.
The depopulation is especially visible in rural areas. One resident of Suihua, Heilongjiang, filmed row after row of abandoned houses. “Every household is empty,” says the resident. “Everyone has gone to the cities for work, or to try and survive.”
Another villager described a once-vibrant community of over 300 households: “It used to be lively — old folks, kids, always chatting. Now you could run around the whole village naked and no one would notice. No one’s here.” A small town’s main commercial street was shown in complete decay: “This town is nearly abandoned. By 6 p.m., every shop is shut.”
Dwindling population
Public data reveals a demographic meltdown:
- Heilongjiang’s 2024 birth rate: 3.35 percent — only 3 newborns per 1,000 people
- Divorce-to-marriage ratio: 81 percent (meaning 81 divorces for every 100 marriages)
- A rapidly aging population: More than 9 million residents aged 65+ (21.9 percent of the region)
This combination of low births + high divorce + mass aging has created a self-reinforcing cycle of decline. Residents in Changchun describe a city in slow collapse as money is harder to come by and ordinary workers are struggling to cover even their basic living expenses.
Meanwhile, housing prices keep falling, yet few dare to buy. Some sellers must accept prices lower than what they owe on the mortgage, residents say. “Streets that were once bustling now stand deserted even at 9–10 p.m,” they add.
A ‘silent social experiment’
A mainland blogger argued that the Northeast is not lagging behind; it’s simply ahead of the curve: “The Northeast isn’t backward, it is early,” he said. “Early to industrialize, early to urbanize, early to age, early to collapse. Don’t mock the Northeast. It’s simply performing China’s modern script ahead of schedule.”
Because the Northeast relied heavily on state-owned enterprises, it was the first to experience a decline of heavy industry, resulting in shrinking new job prospects. In addition, China’s dwindling birth rate and mass migration of workers has also strained the pension system for those aging into the system. These grim statistics, the blogger suggests, is a preview of what awaits the rest of the country.
Liaoning author Da Sheng told overseas media that the economic situation is dire: “State firms have shrunk, private business is scarce, young people lack stable jobs, salaries hover at 3,000–4,000 yuan, and many live off their parents,” said Da Sheng. “People are just maintaining basic survival — half alive.”
A mass exodus with no signs of waning
He added that college graduates rarely return, while those without degrees take on part-time labor. Although prices and housing are cheap, incomes remain too low for meaningful improvement. According to Caixin’s reporting:
- Heilongjiang lost 428,000 residents in 2024
- Liaoning lost 270,000
- Jilin lost 221,000
In total, the three provinces lost 817,000 people in a single year.
Over the past ten years, Northeast China has lost more than 11 million residents — a demographic collapse with no signs of slowing.
Ghost towns, collapsing birth rates, pension strain, emptying villages, and plummeting real estate values—what is happening in China’s northeast is not a local anomaly. Many analysts believe it is a stark preview of what awaits broader regions of China as the country enters its era of long-term demographic decline.
