Hong Kong: of China national health commission Said that COVID-19 has contributed to the decline in the country’s marriage and birth rate which has accelerated in recent years due to the high cost of education and child-rearing.
It said many women are delaying their plans to marry or have children, adding that rapid economic and social development has led to “profound changes”.
It added that youth relocating to urban areas, spending more time on education and a high-pressure work environment also played their part.
Demographers have also said that China’s “zero-Covid” policy of immediately stamping out any outbreak with strict controls on people’s lives may have inflicted deep, lasting damage on their desire to have children.
“Coronavirus has also had a clear impact on the marriage and child birth arrangements of some people,” the commission said.
Comments were sent to Reuters via fax late Monday in response to questions on the subject.
Demographers say China will record a decline in new births this year, down from 10 million last year’s 10.6 million babies are projected to drop – 11.5% less than in 2020.
China’s fertility rate was 1.16 in 2021, one of the lowest rates in the world and below the 2.1 rate OECD Considers necessary for a stable population. After implementing a one-child policy from 1980 to 2015, China has acknowledged that its population is on the verge of shrinking – a potential crisis that will test its ability to pay and care for its elderly.
To combat the problem, national and provincial-level officials have introduced measures such as tax breaks, longer maternity leave, increased medical insurance, housing subsidies and additional funding for a third child over the past year.
It said many women are delaying their plans to marry or have children, adding that rapid economic and social development has led to “profound changes”.
It added that youth relocating to urban areas, spending more time on education and a high-pressure work environment also played their part.
Demographers have also said that China’s “zero-Covid” policy of immediately stamping out any outbreak with strict controls on people’s lives may have inflicted deep, lasting damage on their desire to have children.
“Coronavirus has also had a clear impact on the marriage and child birth arrangements of some people,” the commission said.
Comments were sent to Reuters via fax late Monday in response to questions on the subject.
Demographers say China will record a decline in new births this year, down from 10 million last year’s 10.6 million babies are projected to drop – 11.5% less than in 2020.
China’s fertility rate was 1.16 in 2021, one of the lowest rates in the world and below the 2.1 rate OECD Considers necessary for a stable population. After implementing a one-child policy from 1980 to 2015, China has acknowledged that its population is on the verge of shrinking – a potential crisis that will test its ability to pay and care for its elderly.
To combat the problem, national and provincial-level officials have introduced measures such as tax breaks, longer maternity leave, increased medical insurance, housing subsidies and additional funding for a third child over the past year.