China plans ‘childbirth-friendly society’ to tackle falling birth rate

2026-03-05 - 08:13

BEIJING – China has announced plans to create a “childbirth-friendly society” over the next five years as part of a broader strategy to address the country’s declining birth rate and rapidly ageing population. The official government report revealed that the authorities would introduce policies aimed at easing concerns related to employment, education, healthcare, income and social security in order to encourage families to have more children. The report said the government would improve population services while adopting proactive measures to respond to the challenges posed by an ageing society. These measures include promoting high-quality and full employment, improving the income distribution system and strengthening the country’s social security framework. The authorities also plan to promote positive attitudes toward marriage and childbearing and provide greater housing support for families with children. China’s population declined for the fourth consecutive year in 2025 as the country’s birth rate fell to a record low, according to official data released in January. Experts have warned that the population could continue shrinking in the coming years if effective policies are not implemented. Population planning has become a key component of Beijing’s economic strategy. Estimates suggest the government may face a potential cost of around 180 billion yuan (approximately $25.8 billion) this year in efforts aimed at increasing birth rates. A key initiative is the national child subsidy programme, which was introduced for the first time last year. In addition, the government has pledged that by 2026 pregnant women will have no out-of-pocket medical expenses, with all related costs — including treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) — fully covered under the national medical insurance system. The authorities will also continue implementing the childcare subsidy system and expand pilot programmes for subsidised childcare services, although further details were not provided. The report also said services for women in the early stages of pregnancy and reproductive health care will be improved, while authorities aim to strengthen the prevention and treatment of birth defects. In the education sector, policies on free preschool education will be further refined and the supply of senior secondary school places will be increased. Government spending on education will remain above 4 percent of GDP, according to the report. Alongside efforts to boost birth rates, the government is also focusing on the development of the “silver economy” to support the growing elderly population. New policies will promote high-quality development of industries and services aimed at citizens aged 60 and above, while expanding elderly care services, particularly in rural areas. China’s population has been shrinking since 2022 and the number of elderly citizens is rising rapidly, posing challenges to the country’s plans to boost domestic consumption and manage public finances. By 2035, the number of Chinese citizens aged over 60 is projected to reach around 400 million, roughly equal to the combined populations of the United States and Italy, meaning a significant portion of the workforce will retire at a time when pension budgets are already under pressure. China has already increased retirement ages, with men now expected to work until 63 instead of 60 , while women’s retirement age has been raised from 55 to 58 in a bid to address the demographic challenges.