CCP’s Push to Boost Birthrate Meets Public Backlash: If Having Children Is So Good, Why Force It?

Many hospitals in China are experiencing a wave of closures in their obstetrics and gynecology departments. (Online image)

[People News]— The CCP is going all out to boost birthrates. In addition to recent policies from the State Council offering birth and housing incentives, reports have surfaced of local departments calling citizens with “birth encouragement” messages. Some officials from “birth promotion offices” have even made house visits, scolding young people and labeling them as “sinners for the ages” if they don’t have children. In an effort to align with these policies, state media published articles claiming “pregnancy makes women smarter,” which quickly drew ridicule from netizens: “If having kids is such a good thing, why push it every day?”

According to Voice of America, on October 30, the CCP’s National Health Commission’s official WeChat account, “Healthy China,” published an article titled “Four Benefits of Having Children for Women.” It claimed that pregnancy can alleviate menstrual pain, reduce the risk of uterine fibroids and endometriosis, lower cancer risk, and make women smarter. This article, which seems to refute the saying “one pregnancy makes you dumb for three years,” was seen as a response to the State Council’s strengthened birth policies announced on October 28.

Persistent Birth Promotion Tactics

But as soon as the claim that "pregnancy makes women smarter" was made, it quickly became a trending topic on Weibo, sparking criticism from a large number of netizens: "The government is really going to any lengths to push births, coming up with all kinds of tactics."

One netizen said, "Do they really think women are that gullible? If having children is such a good thing, do they need to push it every day?" Another commented, "I'm smart, so I don't fall for this nonsense." An obstetrician from a top-tier hospital also spoke out, countering that multiple studies show structural changes occur in the female brain during pregnancy, with gray matter significantly shrinking, leading to symptoms like difficulty focusing, short-term memory decline, and reduced judgment—all of which gradually improve as the child grows. "Even if pregnancy doesn't reduce a woman’s intelligence, long-term sleep deprivation surely does, right? Seeing this trending topic, I can only say four words: it's downright distasteful!"

One video, reportedly from Chongqing, showed “birth promotion office” staff making house calls. They introduced themselves as the former “family planning office,” loudly urging a young man to hurry up and have children: “I don’t care if you marry, but you must have kids. Find more girlfriends and have several if possible. You’re 33, not having kids is criminal.” They even brought along a woman, saying, “She’s here to help you have kids; she can have five to meet the target.”

Caixin also reported instances of local departments calling residents about their pregnancy plans, seemingly as part of the birth push. Women in Sichuan and Fujian reported receiving intrusive calls asking, “Are you pregnant?” and “When was your last period?” These “birth encouragement calls” are reportedly part of the CCP’s population dynamic monitoring and community reproductive services.

These bizarre methods are all aimed at stimulating China’s birthrate. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s population at the end of 2023 was 1.40967 billion, a decrease of 2.08 million from the previous year, with births dropping to 9.02 million—a decline of 540,000 from 2022, reflecting an accelerating population shrinkage.

Enhanced Birth Policies

On October 28, the State Council released a document titled “Several Measures to Accelerate the Improvement of Birth Support Policies and Promote the Creation of a Birth-Friendly Society.” The document outlines 13 measures across four areas: strengthening birth support, enhancing childcare systems, increasing support for education, housing, and employment, and fostering a birth-friendly social environment. These policies aim to lower the costs of childbearing, parenting, and education to stimulate China’s birthrate.

The National Health Commission noted that 23 provinces have implemented birth subsidies, and the personal income tax deduction for childcare and educational expenses for children under three will be raised from 1,000 to 2,000 yuan per child per month. More than 20 provinces now include assisted reproductive services in health insurance to support families facing fertility challenges. Paid parental leave has been extended to 158 days or more, with an additional 15 days of spousal leave and 5 to 20 days of parental leave in some regions. Public childcare services will also be strengthened, along with initiatives to address the cultural practice of high dowries, lavish weddings, and to promote new marriage and childbirth customs.

Some local governments have enthusiastically adopted these policies, introducing various financial subsidy schemes. For example, the Civil Affairs Bureau of Lüliang, Shanxi, announced a marriage bonus of 1,500 yuan for women who marry before 35, and subsidies of 2,000, 5,000, and 8,000 yuan for families with one, two, and three children, respectively.

On October 25, Shangyou County in Jiangxi Province issued a policy offering one-time birth rewards of 7,000 yuan for a second child and 13,000 yuan for a third. Families purchasing homes in the county within three years of having a child will receive housing subsidies of 10,000 and 20,000 yuan. Parental leave benefits were also extended from 188 to 218 days, with continued salary, performance, and benefits.

High Education and Housing Costs

However, these incentives have little appeal for many Chinese women. Ms. Ma, a 39-year-old from Nanjing with a four-year-old child, told Voice of America she has no interest in having a second or third child due to the high costs of raising a child. The government incentives don’t entice her.

Ms. Ma explained that Chinese parents are deeply invested in their children’s education and don’t want them to fall behind. This generally involves private tutoring in subjects like English, music (violin for boys, piano or guzheng for girls), and at least one sport (such as swimming, table tennis, or badminton). “Having four types of tutoring is the basic minimum, and it starts before they even reach school age.”

Ms. Ma explained that with each class costing around 100 yuan per hour, and each subject having at least one class per week—sometimes even two—monthly tutoring fees alone would come close to 2,000 yuan per child. For three children, meeting the government’s "three-child policy" target, tutoring alone would cost at least 6,000 yuan per month, not including kindergarten fees, travel, entertainment, and other expenses, which would be a huge burden for a family.

She also pointed out that transporting and caring for children is a major challenge. Many parents are only children themselves, meaning each family may be responsible for supporting four elderly parents in addition to raising a child, which creates immense pressure. "These days, almost no one is having three kids—one is usually enough."

Ms. Xu, a 40-year-old media professional from Guangzhou, is determined to remain child-free with her husband as part of the “DINK” (dual income, no kids) lifestyle. She told Voice of America that child-rearing in China is prohibitively expensive, especially with the high costs of premium daycare. Housing is another issue. Despite the government’s push for nearby school enrollment, the price of properties near quality schools remains sky-high, making the purchase of a “school district house” essential for many families but a substantial financial strain.

Choosing Self-Fulfillment

Ms. Xu added that the traditional Chinese notion of “raising children as security for old age” no longer resonates with her generation. She believes that if she cannot provide a solid educational foundation and support a child to thrive in a highly competitive society, it’s better not to bring a child into the world.

She emphasized that her current financial and emotional burdens are already heavy, and she prefers to spend her income on herself, enjoying travel and buying what she wants, rather than being tied down by the responsibilities of raising a child.

China’s former one-child policy, initially promoted through delayed marriage, has evolved into today’s “no desire” and “no willingness” issues. According to the China Population and Employment Statistical Yearbook 2023, there were over 240 million single adults in China by 2022. This number is expected to approach 300 million by the end of 2024, meaning nearly one in four people is single.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs reported on November 1 that the number of registered marriages in the first three quarters of this year was 4.747 million, a decrease of 943,000 compared to the same period last year.

Ms. Zhang, a 38-year-old unmarried woman from Shanghai, told Voice of America that given China’s weak economy, her job stress, and high rental costs, she hardly has time or energy for dating. Besides, to get married, the man must have a house, which is costly in Shanghai, making marriage and childbirth daunting prospects.

She added, “The CCP has many absurd policies, and pushing births is one of the dumbest. The government can control other things, but having children is my business, and no outsider can interfere. It’s just that simple.”

Social Transformation

Lu Chenwei, a researcher at Taiwan’s Prospect Foundation, highlighted in an interview with Voice of America that China’s low birthrate has evolved from a government-imposed one-child policy into an intrinsic issue of both "fear of" and "unwillingness to" have children. This shift is influenced by two main factors: changes in China’s overall socio-economic environment and shifts in women’s gender values.

She explained that young Chinese generations face enormous practical pressures, with little hope for the future, akin to the concept of “learned helplessness” in psychology, which suggests that no matter how hard one tries, structural barriers are nearly impossible to overcome, ultimately resulting in futile efforts. In such circumstances, moving into marriage and parenthood, and taking on the long-term financial burden of raising children, becomes a daunting prospect. The challenge of balancing work and family places a heavy burden on them.

Lu further noted that China remains a patriarchal society, and this is reflected in cultural and workplace values. However, women’s gender awareness in China has changed significantly. Women today are more aware of and reflect on the limitations, pressures, traditional roles, and expectations placed on them by society—this awareness is becoming a trend.

Emphasis on Self-Realization

Lu commented, “While many women are still willing to marry and have children, an increasing number are focusing on pursuing their own dreams and prioritizing self-realization, aiming to live life on their own terms. Unlike in the past, they are not merely responding to societal expectations of traditional gender roles and seeing marriage and childbearing as primary options.”

She added that if these cultural and workplace values don’t undergo fundamental changes, returning to the workforce after having children may become even more challenging for women. Employers may view women as costly hires and reduce their willingness to employ them, while society will question why women are reluctant to have children despite government support. This could reinforce stereotypes and increase social pressure on women, potentially creating a vicious cycle that further burdens them—a worrying possibility.