China coordinates 26 departments to prop up declining birth rate

After 17 national departments jointly issued a guideline this week to boost population growth, China’s State Council, in another major move, on Friday approved plans to establish a joint mechanism that involves 26 departments, aiming to further strengthen coordination in optimizing birth policy amid a declining birth rate.

The State Council inter-ministerial joint meeting mechanism on optimizing birth policy was made public on Friday. It involves 26 departments including the National Health Commission (NHC), National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Science and Technology.

The main function of the mechanism is to implement the major policies of the central government in optimizing birth policy, coordinate the national birth policy, research and implement the measures, and guide and supervise the implementation of related measures.

Chinese observers on demography said that the establishment of the mechanism, another major move within a week on birth policy, showed that the country has attached growing importance to population development, as the number of newborns in the Chinese mainland has dropped for five consecutive years.

With the participation of almost all the major Chinese departments, China is making actual efforts aiming to create a fertility-friendly society and slow the decline of the birth rate.

Detailed support policies listed in the guideline include promoting prenatal and postnatal care, further developing nursing systems, improving the mechanism for maternity leave and insurance, offering preferential house-purchase policies to families with more than one child, adding high-quality education resources, creating a fertility-friendly employment environment, and setting up a complete service system.