After several restrictive policies, China turns the tables and bets on surprising incentives to increase the birth rate
China introduced on Monday (28) a series of new birth support policies, with the aim of building a society more conducive to raising children, as the country faces profound demographic challenges caused by the rapid aging of the population.
A directive from State Council describes 13 specific measures to improve birth support services, expand child care systems, strengthen support in education, housing and employment, and promote a social environment conducive to childbirth.
Workers in flexible forms of employment e rural migrant workers who already participate in the basic medical insurance scheme for urban workers will now be included in the country’s maternity insurance scheme, according to the document.
New mothers and fathers may feel more confident taking time off from work, as the document calls on local authorities to ensure implementation of safety policies maternity leave, pay for childbirth, paternity and childcare.
A system of birth allowance will be established, and the country has committed to increasing tax exemptions related to personal income.
Notably, services labor pain relief e assisted reproductive technology will be added to the list of services that qualify for medical insurance reimbursement, as indicated in the document.
The country will also intensify health education for teenagers to prevent unwanted pregnancies and improve early pregnancy and abortion care services.
Additional efforts will be made to increase the supply of quality pediatric resourceschanneling these resources to the community level and promoting a more balanced distribution between regions.
To make services child care more accessible, assistance centers will be created at the prefecture and city levels. Child care facilities will also be planned, constructed, approved and delivered for use in line with the new communities, as outlined in the document.
Locations with capacity will be encouraged to increase housing provident fund loan limits for families with several children, in order to support them in purchasing property.
As one of the most populous countries in the world, China faces the growing challenge of a population of 1.4 billionaging at a rapid pace.
Since 2022, China has entered a phase of population declinewith people aged 65 and over representing more than 14% of the population, indicating a moderately aged society.
According to official data, almost 300 million Chinese citizens are aged 60 or over – a number that must exceed 400 million by 2033 and get closer to 500 million by 2050. By then, seniors are expected to represent almost 35% of the country’s population.
In response to these demographic changes, China has gradually relaxed its family planning policies over the past decade. In 2013, the country allowed couples to have a second child if one of the parents was an only child and, in 2016, it allowed couples to have two children, gradually eliminating the one-child policy that had been in place for decades. In 2021, the government announced support for couples who wish to have a third child.
Source: https://www.ocafezinho.com/2024/10/28/china-lanca-politicas-ousadas-para-aumentar-natalidade/
