China offers childbearing subsidies to motivate couples to have 3 children

Chinese provinces have started announcing a slew of supportive measures, including childbearing subsidies and tax cuts, to motivate couples to have three children to prevent a steep decline in the birth rates in the world’s most populous country.

China’s national legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), had formally endorsed the three-child policy in August, in a major policy shift to address the deepening demographic crisis in the country.

It passed a revised Population and Family Planning Law, which allows Chinese couples to have three children, in an apparent attempt to address the reluctance of the Chinese couples to have more kids due to mounting costs.

More than 20 provincial-level regions of China have completed modifications to their local childbirth regulations since the country passed an amendment to its Population and Family Planning Law in August.

Localities, including Beijing and Sichuan, have rolled out supportive measures highlighting increased leave for couples, such as offering parental leave.