People Don't Want to Have Kids Anymore? China Conducts Survey Across 150 Countries To Know Why

Beijing: China recently launched a survey across 150 countries, involving around 30,000 individuals and 1,500 communities to understand their view towards having children and their fear surrounding childbirth, reported state-backed Global Times, citing the China Population and Development Research Centre, which is part of the National Health Commission (NHC). The survey comes after the state's declining population and birthrate to understand the reluctance and fear surrounding having children." After seeing a decline for a second year straight in 2023, the Chinese government planned to encourage young couples to start families. It also aims at providing support and incentives to boost fertility rates. In September 2024, health officials in China highlighted the importance of promoting marriage and childbirth at "appropriate ages."

They called for shared parenting responsibilities and guided young couples towards having "positive perspectives of marriage, having children, and starting a family." China has always linked population growth with the idea of developing a strong and rejuvenated country. A demographer affiliated with the Renmin University of China's Centre for Population and Development Studies, Song Jian, told the Global Times about the implementation of the three-child policy and its supporting measures since 2021. Jian further stated that the government has introduced a fertility support policy system, and various regions have been actively implementing these policies. She said, however, it is important to understand how "families see these policies and identify if there are any unmet demands that still may exist." Jian said, "A nationwide representative sampling survey will provide answers to these questions and help refine the policy framework with data support." Jian, however, said that only a survey cannot solve the problem, but it can highlight the underlying issues and provide data-driven insights to support potential solutions. She emphasised the importance of targeted fertility support policies that are based on a thorough and precise understanding of family needs. The National Bureau of Statistics last conducted a nationwide family and fertility survey in 2021. They have now announced plans for a new nationwide sample survey, running from October 10 to November 30, to track population changes.