Five survivors were rescued from the scene of the accident, which took place in Guizhou province on Monday, according to an online statement by the national emergency management ministry.
The boat was owned by the local town-level government, according to the statement, which called for "serious accountability" over the incident.
The vessel "engaged in passenger-carrying business activities in violation of regulations and was seriously overloaded," the ministry said.
Chinese outlet Caixin said the boat had been ferrying local villagers across the Pingzheng River to collect herbs from the other side.
Boats on that river typically don't carry passengers, one person near the site told Caixin.
Deadly accidents happen frequently in China, due to vague regulations and lax enforcement.
A mining accident in neighbouring Sichuan province claimed eight lives in August.
A gas explosion in northern China's Hebei province killed seven people and injured dozens in March.
And in the eastern city of Nanjing, 15 people died in a residential building fire in February.
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