China Power

China Continues to Underdeliver in Its Plans to Combat the Low Birth Rate

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China Power | Society | East Asia

China Continues to Underdeliver in Its Plans to Combat the Low Birth Rate

China’s government is aware of the looming demographic crisis. So why is it so reluctant to adopt family-friendly policies?

China Continues to Underdeliver in Its Plans to Combat the Low Birth Rate
Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Carla Antonini

In 2021, China reported a new low in the number of newborn babies: 10.61 million. According to figures from the Chinese National Statistics Bureau, China continues to face a decreasing trend in births due to social changes, increasing costs of childcare and education, and an aging population. The low number of newborns further diminished the net population growth in China, with the country reporting only a 480,000 net growth in 2021. It was the fifth consecutive year for China to see a decreasing birth rate, despite abolishing its long-standing one-child policy in 2016.

The Chinese government clearly acknowledges the pressure it faces as the number of births continues to drop. After the start of the two-child policy in 2016, Chinese authorities further lifted restrictions on the number of children that a family may have. In May 2021, China started to implement a three-child policy. Yet compared to the (already ineffective) two-child policy, the 2021 three-child policy initiative has been even less successful at reversing the diminishing net population growth in China. Following its implementation, the policy received strong disapproval from Chinese netizens. Critics pointed out the lack of supporting measures to help families raise children, poor social security systems for retirees, and the long working hours that professionals face as major hurdles for families to consider getting married or giving birth to children.

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