Survey to shed light on declining birthrates

China will carry out a nationwide sample survey covering 30,000 people to comprehensively examine causes of people's reluctance and fear of having children and formulate fertility supportive policies, according to China Population and Development Research Center.

The center, a research institution administered by the National Health Commission, said in a notice released on Thursday that after more than a year-long preparation, the study was approved by the National Bureau of Statistics on Oct 11 and has officially kicked off recently.

The survey, expected to cover 30,000 residents from 150 counties and 1,500 villages or neighborhoods, will collect and analyze data on people's perspectives on marriage and childbirth, their actual behaviors and factors influencing their decisions.

"It is aimed at understanding practical difficulties and demands and analyzing why families are reluctant or fearful toward childbearing, so as to help improve fertility supportive policies and incentive measures, address their acute needs and promote effective implementation of fertility policies," said the center.

Such a national survey focusing on fertility and family was rolled out in 2017, 2019 and 2021 respectively, led by the National Health Commission. Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Statistics also launches a national survey to monitor demographic changes in the fourth quarter each year, and this year's survey is being carried out from Oct 10 to Nov 30.

China is striving to boost its falling birthrates as the nation registered a total population decline for a second consecutive year in 2023, primarily driven by shifts in attitudes toward marriage and childbirth as well as a decrease in the number of women of childbearing age.

Data from the National Health Commission shows that women of childbearing age planned to have 1.76 children on average in 2017, but the number fell to 1.73 in 2019 and 1.64 in 2021.

Officials said that people born in the 1990s and 2000s, who are at appropriate age for marriage and childbearing, focus on receiving longer years of education while confronting a highly competitive job market, and thus forced to delay marriage and having babies.

High costs of raising and educating children have further amplified their unwillingness or hesitancy in having children.

Zhai Zhenwu, president of China Population Association, said during a recent interview with 21st Century Business Herald that women of childbearing age are willing to have around 1.74 to 1.77 babies in recent years, but they end up only having one baby throughout their lifetime.

He said that the key to raising fertility rates in China lies in narrowing the gap between fertility intentions and actual fertility behavior.

"Building a fertility-friendly system requires a series of measures, including extending maternity leave, issuing fertility subsidies, as well as building a supportive working environment by setting up breastfeeding breaks for female employees, reducing working hours for employees who need to care for children and establishing paternity leave systems," he said.

Yu Xuejun, vice-minister of the commission, said during a news conference last month that health authorities will dedicate greater efforts into ramping up provision of affordable nursery care services to reduce financial burden of families, while advocate getting married and having children at appropriate ages and sharing parenting responsibilities between couples.