Politics Ageing and shrinkage - China wants to boost the birth rate
In times of falling birth rates and fewer marriages, China's government has promised help for parents and children. The measures are intended to encourage couples to have children and reduce the costs of childbirth, child-rearing and education, according to a statement from the State Council. Beijing wants to establish a "new culture of childbearing and marriage" and promote a positive attitude towards marriage and family.
29.10.2024, 07:51
SDA
According to the information, local governments are to implement regulations to make it easier for new parents to take time off work. Beijing also held out the prospect of tax benefits and a system of subsidies for births. The plans also included more and more easily accessible childcare and healthcare services. New public platforms are also intended to promote dating for young people.
China is struggling with an ageing population
It remains unclear when the government intends to implement the plans and with how much money. The announcement comes at a time when China's demographic problem is becoming increasingly urgent. At the same time, the cost of education is high, especially in large cities, and many people are also concerned about the high youth unemployment rate and weak economic development.
Despite the abolition of the decades-long one-child policy almost 10 years ago, the population in the country of around 1.4 billion inhabitants has been shrinking since 2022, according to official figures. Experts report that some cities have converted elementary school into retirement homes due to a lack of children and an increase in pensioners. It is estimated that around 500 million Chinese will be aged 60 and over by 2050.
Reports of calls from the authorities
In order to find out more about the "fear of having children" and influencing factors, the National Health Commission began interviewing around 30,000 people at various locations in China, as the state newspaper "Global Times" reported in mid-October. Foreign media reported, citing affected women, that they had received calls from the authorities asking whether they were pregnant. According to the South China Morning Post, this was the government's way of encouraging women to have children.
