HONG KONG: As local provinces work to raise the nation’s sagging population, Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia in China, unveiled a bevy of childcare incentives this month and pledged to “care” for new moms by providing them with a daily cup of free milk.
On Monday, the official Xinhua news agency announced that more than 20 provincial level administrations in China had begun providing childcare subsidies. As authorities work to encourage young couples to marry and start a family, these incentives have become a major area of concern.
In 2024, China’s population declined for the third year in a row as marriages fell by a fifth, the largest decline ever.
The nation is experiencing a historically low population, primarily due to China’s one-child policy and 2015.
