Fertility rates, property woes on agenda

NEW fertility policies and better regulation of the troubled property sector will be among issues raised by delegates at China’s annual political gathering, which kicked off yesterday.

With voting tightly controlled and legislation pre-approved by the ruling Communist Party, it is unlikely any of their proposals will be enacted into law. But attendees at the Two Sessions can put forward suggestions hoping they might influence legislation.

Nevertheless, the delegates “play an important role in representing citizen interests on a range of politically non-sensitive issues”, Changhao Wei, an expert on China’s legislature, said.

After the country’s population decline accelerated last year, China’s demographic woes are under the spotlight. Allowing single women to freeze their eggs should be explored, said Zhao Changlong, a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country’s political advisory body.

Medical insurance should fully cover pain relief during childbirth, he added, among other suggestions aimed at boosting birth rates.

Li Shulin, a delegate to the National People’s Congress (NPC) – China’s rubber-stamp parliament – said he would propose special fertility policies for rural areas, including financial incentives. Tuo Qingming, an NPC delegate from southwestern Sichuan province, wants free medical services for children under 6 and seniors above 75 years old.

Another suggestion that anticipates problems caused by an ageing population involves measures to strengthen care for elderly patients with long-term illness or disability.

The property sector meltdown at the heart of China’s economic stuttering has hurt huge swathes of the population. Financial troubles at major firms such as Evergrande and Country Garden have stalled development and fuelled buyer mistrust.

In recent years cash-strapped companies have struggled to raise enough cash to complete developments that they have already sold units for in advance, a common practice. In reaction to this, NPC delegate Zhu Zhengfu said he would propose abolishing the housing pre-sale system. CPPCC member Lyu Guoquan said he would suggest legislation to protect the right of workers to “rest during off hours”.China’s intense, burnout-inducing study and work culture has seen many young people “lie flat” – a term referring to doing the bare minimum rather than striving for success.

CPPCC member Jiang Ying, also chair of accounting giant Deloitte China, said she would call for “a better foreign-related legalised business environment”. Foreign businesses have been spooked by a crackdown on consulting firms operating in China, and changes to an anti-espionage law which gives Beijing more power to punish what it deems threats to national security.

Pro-Beijing delegates from Hong Kong have put forward at least 30 proposals, including “enhancing patriotic education” in Hong Kong.