China is set to introduce policies supporting childbirth while also outlining plans to address the needs of a growing elderly population by increasing benefits and basic pensions and advancing a private pension system, news agency Reuters quoted two official government reports as saying on Tuesday.
These measures come in response to China’s population declining for the second consecutive year in 2023, with new births dropping to approximately half of those recorded in 2016, alongside a record-low number of marriages in 2022.
In a report released by the country’s state planner, it was stated that China aims to foster a “birth-friendly society” and promote long-term, balanced population development. The report also highlights the intention to develop “public interest childcare” to alleviate the financial burden associated with childbirth, parenting, and education.
Premier Li Qiang, in a separate work report also released on Tuesday, outlined plans to enhance birth rates by refining parental leave policies, improving mechanisms for sharing related labor costs among employers, and increasing the availability of childcare services.
Since the relaxation of China’s strict one-child policy in 2016, both central and local governments have implemented incentives to encourage couples to have more children. These initiatives were reinforced in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when China permitted couples to have up to three children.
Provinces and cities across China offer various incentives to families willing to have three children, including monthly stipends until children reach the age of three and one-time rewards. For instance, in Shaoxing, located in eastern China near Ningbo and Shanghai, couples with three children are eligible for up to $50,000 in credit toward purchasing a home.
Despite these efforts, China’s demographic trends have not significantly changed. In 2022, the country’s birth rate declined to 1.09 children per woman, ranking among the lowest globally. Additionally, for the first time in 61 years, China experienced a population decrease in 2022, with more deaths than births.
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