Beijing: China’s National Health Commission (NHC) has launched a nationwide survey involving 30,000 participants to investigate factors influencing attitudes toward childbearing and the prevalent “fear of having children”, as authorities grapple with a declining birthrate.
The survey, conducted by the China Population and Development Research Center under the NHC, will cover 150 counties and 1,500 communities across the country, according to a report by the state-backed Global Times on Thursday. This initiative is part of China’s broader efforts to address its demographic challenges, particularly after two consecutive years of population decline in 2023.
Beijing has been trying to encourage young couples to have children amid this downward trend. The survey aims to assess the “reluctance and fear surrounding having children” and, based on the findings, propose fertility support policies and potential incentive measures to boost birthrates.
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The last comprehensive family and fertility survey in China took place in 2021. This new effort comes on the heels of the National Bureau of Statistics’ announcement of a nationwide sample survey, scheduled from October 10 to November 30, to monitor population shifts.
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China’s state media has often linked population growth to national rejuvenation. In September, Chinese health officials emphasized the importance of promoting marriage and childbirth at “appropriate ages” and called for more shared parenting responsibilities to encourage positive perspectives on marriage, family, and childbearing.
