China Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %) - Historical Data
Year-on-year percentage change in the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) for China from 1979 to 2026, compiled from the BIS Long Consumer Prices archive (WS_LONG_CPI). The latest inflation rate is 0.80% (Aug 2026) compared with the People's Bank of China official target of ~3.0% Annual CPI Ceiling.
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Current Statistics & Historical Records
Latest Reading (Aug 2026)
0.80%
Prev (Jul 2026): 0.50%+0.30 pp
Highest Recorded (1994)
24.13%
Peak consumer price inflation rate in China (People's Bank of China mandate: ~3.0% Annual CPI Ceiling).
Lowest Recorded (Apr 1999)
-2.20%
Lowest recorded CPI inflation / deflation reading in China.
Long-Run Mean (1979–2026)
4.33%
48 annual observations · Monthly
People's Bank of China · CNY
China Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %) (1979-2026)
% YoYDrag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full archive (1979–2026) and recent monthly observations.
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Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office (WS_LONG_CPI:M:CN:771)
Latest: 0.80% (Aug 2026)
China Inflation Rate Averages by Decade
Decadal mean, peak, and trough across the 1979–2026 archive
| Decade | Years Covered | Decade Mean | Decade High (Year) | Decade Low (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1979–1979 | 1.90% | 1.90% (1979) | 1.90% (1979) |
| 1980s | 1980–1989 | 7.65% | 18.76% (1988) | 1.96% (1982) |
| 1990s | 1990–1999 | 7.78% | 24.13% (1994) | -1.40% (1999) |
| 2000s | 2000–2009 | 1.88% | 5.97% (2008) | -0.72% (2009) |
| 2010s | 2010–2019 | 2.61% | 5.56% (2011) | 1.52% (2017) |
| 2020s | 2020–2026 | 0.97% | 2.58% (2020) | 0.05% (2025) |
Complete Annual Historical Ledger (1979–2026)
Unit: % YoY · Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office (WS_LONG_CPI:M:CN:771)
| Year | Annual Value (% YoY) | Intra-Year Range (Min – Max) | Monetary Regime & Historical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0.90% | 0.20% – 1.30% | - |
| 2025 | 0.05% | -0.70% – 0.80% | Post-tightening monetary recalibration across advanced and emerging central banks |
| 2024 | 0.24% | -0.80% – 0.70% | G10 policy rates peak and pivot toward gradual monetary normalization |
| 2023 | 0.24% | -0.50% – 2.10% | - |
| 2022 | 1.91% | 0.79% – 2.80% | Global inflation surge triggers fastest synchronized rate hiking cycle in four decades |
| 2021 | 0.85% | -0.43% – 2.41% | - |
| 2020 | 2.58% | -0.53% – 5.62% | COVID-19 pandemic emergency rate cuts and record balance sheet expansion |
| 2019 | 3.03% | 1.49% – 4.69% | - |
| 2018 | 1.93% | 1.30% – 2.72% | - |
| 2017 | 1.52% | 0.79% – 2.61% | - |
| 2016 | 2.12% | 1.49% – 2.41% | Bank of Japan introduces Yield Curve Control (YCC); post-Brexit BoE easing |
| 2015 | 1.54% | 0.90% – 2.01% | - |
| 2014 | 2.06% | 1.60% – 2.51% | ECB and European peers introduce Negative Interest Rate Policy (NIRP) |
| 2013 | 2.57% | 1.91% – 3.23% | - |
| 2012 | 2.61% | 1.59% – 4.60% | - |
| 2011 | 5.56% | 4.08% – 6.70% | European Sovereign Debt Crisis and Swiss franc safe-haven surge |
| 2010 | 3.17% | 1.40% – 5.09% | - |
| 2009 | -0.72% | -1.80% – 1.70% | - |
| 2008 | 5.97% | 1.26% – 8.80% | Global Financial Crisis drives major central banks to the zero lower bound and QE1 |
| 2007 | 4.82% | 2.24% – 7.00% | - |
| 2006 | 1.65% | 0.94% – 2.76% | - |
| 2005 | 1.76% | 0.86% – 3.78% | - |
| 2004 | 3.87% | 2.08% – 5.27% | - |
| 2003 | 1.08% | 0.20% – 3.12% | - |
| 2002 | -0.71% | -1.19% – 0.00% | - |
| 2001 | 0.73% | -1.81% – 2.16% | Dot-com bust and synchronized G10 monetary easing cycle |
| 2000 | 0.35% | -0.30% – 1.50% | - |
| 1999 | -1.40% | -2.20% – -0.60% | Launch of the Euro and establishment of the European Central Bank (ECB) |
| 1998 | -0.77% | -1.50% – 0.70% | - |
| 1997 | 2.81% | 0.40% – 5.90% | Asian Financial Crisis triggers emergency EM currency defense hikes |
| 1996 | 8.33% | 6.90% – 9.80% | - |
| 1995 | 17.08% | 17.08% – 17.08% | - |
| 1994 | 24.13% | 24.13% – 24.13% | Global bond market selloff and pre-emptive Federal Reserve tightening cycle |
| 1993 | 14.70% | 14.70% – 14.70% | - |
| 1992 | 6.39% | 6.39% – 6.39% | European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) crisis and Black Wednesday |
| 1991 | 3.42% | 3.42% – 3.42% | - |
| 1990 | 3.10% | 3.10% – 3.10% | German reunification tightening and Japanese asset bubble peak |
| 1989 | 17.99% | 17.99% – 17.99% | - |
| 1988 | 18.76% | 18.76% – 18.76% | - |
| 1987 | 7.31% | 7.31% – 7.31% | Louvre Accord and Black Monday central bank liquidity provision |
| 1986 | 6.48% | 6.48% – 6.48% | - |
| 1985 | 9.34% | 9.34% – 9.34% | Plaza Accord coordinated G5 currency intervention depreciates USD |
| 1984 | 2.74% | 2.74% – 2.74% | - |
| 1983 | 2.01% | 2.01% – 2.01% | - |
| 1982 | 1.96% | 1.96% – 1.96% | - |
| 1981 | 2.47% | 2.47% – 2.47% | Volcker disinflation peak pushes benchmark policy rates to postwar highs |
| 1980 | 7.46% | 7.46% – 7.46% | - |
| 1979 | 1.90% | 1.90% – 1.90% | Second oil shock; Paul Volcker appointed Federal Reserve Chair |
Frequently Asked Questions - China Inflation Rate
What is the current inflation rate in China?
As of Aug 2026, headline consumer price inflation in China is 0.80% year-on-year, compared to the People's Bank of China target of ~3.0% Annual CPI Ceiling.
What was the highest inflation rate recorded in China?
In the 1979-2026 series, China CPI inflation peaked at 24.13% in 1994 and reached a low of -2.20% in Apr 1999.
Statistical Provenance
Source Metadata & Methodology Notes
- Primary Institution:
- Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office
- Dataset / Dataflow:
- BIS Long Series on Consumer Prices (WS_LONG_CPI)
- Canonical Series ID:
- WS_LONG_CPI:M:CN:771
- Reuse & License:
- Terms of permitted use of BIS statistics
- Unit of measure: Year-on-year percentage change in headline consumer price index (UNIT_MEASURE=771).
- Central bank benchmark target: ~3.0% Annual CPI Ceiling (People's Bank of China).
- Annual table values represent annual average inflation across each calendar year.
Academic & Media Attribution
Cite This Dataset (APA & BibTeX)
APA 7th Edition
CentralBankData.com. (2026). China Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %), compiled from Bank for International Settlements (WS_LONG_CPI:M:CN:771). https://centralbankdata.com/china-inflation-rate
BibTeX
@misc{cbd_cpi_china,
author = {CentralBankData.com},
title = {China Consumer Price Inflation Rate},
note = {Compiled from Bank for International Settlements WS_LONG_CPI:M:CN:771},
year = {2026},
url = {https://centralbankdata.com/china-inflation-rate}
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