China expands childcare and reduces parenting costs to boost births
China's National Health Commission announced new measures to increase childcare capacity and lower family expenses, aiming to encourage higher birth rates.
The Chinese National Health Commission disclosed a package of policies designed to stimulate childbearing. Lej Haj-csao explained that new nursery and kindergarten slots will be created, and local communities and employers are being urged to offer childcare options close to families' homes or workplaces at affordable rates. Primary healthcare will see a boost in pediatric services, with more community hospitals providing child-health care by the end of the year.
Since 2025, a national childcare subsidy of 3600 yuan per child per year for those under three has been in place, and the state will also cover the cost of the last year of kindergarten starting in the autumn of 2025. Additional birth-related subsidies and health-insurance measures are part of a broader effort to counter declining births and an aging population, a key goal of China's 15-year plan.
Why it matters
The policy aims to reverse China's falling birth rate, affecting its future labor force and economic stability.
In this story
