China has launched a massive national campaign to boost dating, marriage and childbearing to tackle its demographic crisis. About this informs Financial Times.
Local authorities are actively contacting married women, finding out their plans for motherhood, and offering financial incentives for having children. Universities have received recommendations to create courses for single students dedicated to the topics of love and building relationships. At the same time, state media popularize the advantages of family life and parenthood.
“China’s population faces three major trends: aging, low birth rates, and low marriage rates,” – noted the famous economist Ren Zeping.
In response to these challenges, Beijing plans to introduce subsidies and substantial tax breaks for parents to reduce the cost of raising children. In October, China’s State Council announced a plan to create a “fertility-friendly society” that would be an important element of a broader strategy to support the economy.
Local women in their 20s and 30s report officials calling to ask questions about their plans to start a family. Some women are offered prenatal visits, while others are offered financial subsidies to encourage the birth of a second child.
