On October 28, 2023, China's National Development and Reform Commission announced a series of policy measures aimed at responding to the decline in fertility. With China's population declining for two consecutive years and the birth rate reaching a record low, the government hopes to encourage more families to have children through these new measures and reverse the current negative population growth trend.

According to Reuters, the title of the world's most populous country has shifted from China to India, and China's current total population is about 1.4 billion. In order to cope with this severe population challenge, the Chinese government has proposed a series of policies covering fertility, education, housing and other fields.

Five major areas of measures to fully promote fertility

In the notice on "Several Measures to Accelerate the Improvement of the Fertility Support Policy System and Promote the Construction of a Fertility-Friendly Society" issued by the General Office of the State Council of China on October 28, five major measures were proposed. These measures include: strengthening fertility service support, strengthening the construction of childcare service system, providing education, housing and employment support, and creating a fertility-friendly social environment. The notice clearly stated that these measures are aimed at establishing a more complete population development service system and promoting high-quality population growth.

Specific measures include improving maternity insurance, extending maternity leave, providing fertility subsidies and improving the level of children's medical services. The State Council also encourages local governments to set budgets for childcare services and provide tax incentives for related services. These policies not only focus on fertility support, but also look at the fields of education, housing and employment, trying to reduce the cost and pressure of raising children for families through a series of comprehensive measures.

In terms of strengthening the construction of a social atmosphere, the government plans to publicize the fertility policy through various media, produce film and television dramas, stage plays and public service advertisements, and actively spread a fertility-friendly culture. At the same time, the government will promote population education and incorporate fertility policy-related content into primary and secondary school and higher education courses to enhance the society's attention to population development issues.

Rural labor migration and the challenge of low fertility rate

Although China abandoned the 35-year-old one-child policy as early as 2015, allowing families to have two or even three children, the fertility rate has not rebounded significantly. One main reason is that a large number of rural people have flocked to cities to find jobs, resulting in many families being unwilling to have more children in the high cost of living and fierce competition in cities.

To address this problem, the government will promote fertility by strengthening economic support for poor families. Local governments were also urged to expand support for families with many children to buy houses and reduce housing pressure, especially in the context of high housing prices in big cities, and provide more policy preferences. At the same time, the government also stressed the need to strengthen protection for pregnant women and new mothers in the workplace to ensure that their employment rights and interests are protected.

Education and housing issues included in key issues to be addressed

In addition to the improvement of fertility services, education and housing have become another focus of this policy. The Chinese government has pledged to provide more financial support to poor families and even put forward an exploratory proposal to "gradually expand the scope of free education" to reduce the educational burden of families. In addition, the government will increase policy support for families with many children in buying houses, especially in first-tier cities, which will help ease the pressure on families in housing.

Fertility survey reveals reasons for not daring to have children or not wanting to have children

While launching the new policy, the Chinese government is also working to understand the specific reasons why people are reluctant to have children. Earlier this month, China's health department conducted a nationwide survey to comprehensively analyze the main factors affecting the willingness to have children. According to the China Population and Development Research Center, the survey covered 150 monitoring counties and 1,500 communities, with a sample size of 30,000 people. The survey focused on the practical difficulties and needs that affect people's willingness to have children.

The preliminary analysis of the survey pointed out that many people are afraid to have children because they face heavy economic pressure, job instability, and high childcare and education costs. These practical problems have discouraged many families from considering having children. The government hopes that through this in-depth survey, it can provide a scientific basis for further improving the fertility support policy so as to introduce more targeted and effective incentives.

The government is fully committed to promoting the construction of a fertility-friendly society

Faced with the challenges of population decline and continued low birth rate, the Chinese government is taking a number of policy measures to reverse this situation. From maternity insurance, education subsidies to housing support, the policy coverage is wide, aiming to provide families with greater economic security and create a more friendly fertility environment. At the same time, through nationwide surveys and research, the government is also working hard to understand the real reasons that hinder people from having children and formulate corresponding countermeasures.

Although the implementation of these policies may take time to be effective, they demonstrate the Chinese government's attention and determination to solve population problems. How to further encourage fertility and help families relieve the pressure of childcare will be a key issue that China will continue to pay attention to in the future.