China has launched a new population and family survey to find out why people are reluctant to have children, thereby improving birth promotion policies.
The survey began on October 14, conducted by the China Population and Development Research Center, affiliated with the National Health Commission (NHC), on 30,000 people in 150 districts and 1,500 communities. The goal is to identify factors that influence the opinion of having children, solve difficulties of families, and analyze the psychology of fear of having children. From there, the China Population and Development Research Center will provide scientific evidence to improve birth promotion policies and measures.
According to Dr. Song Jian, a demographer at the Center for Population and Development Studies of Renmin University of China, since the implementation of the three-child policy and support measures in 2021, the government has established Establish a reproductive support program system. However, leaders still need to understand how families perceive this policy and what needs are not being met.
“A nationally representative sample survey will answer these questions and help refine the policy framework with data,” Dr. Song said.
Ms. Song noted that the survey is not intended to solve the problem of people’s reluctance to have children. Its goal is to point out potential problems and provide data that supports a solution. She emphasized that reproductive support policies must have clear goals, based on a deep and accurate understanding of the family’s needs.
Children play at a water park in Chongqing city, southwest China, August 18. Image: Xinhua
According to the Center, the most recent national fertility and family survey was conducted in 2021. In 2017, 2019 and 2021, NHC conducted three national fertility and parenting surveys . Since then, the agency has analyzed and in-depth research on population development in many areas, especially focusing on fertility rates, the desire to have children and parenting needs.
From 2022, due to many factors such as changing views on childbearing and a decrease in the number of women of childbearing age, China will enter a period of negative population growth. This demographic trend is evident in the decline in birth rates, the aging population and regional population disparities.
China’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released data showing that mainland China’s population at the end of 2022 was 1.41 billion people, a decrease of 850,000 people compared to 2021. This is the first time the country’s population negative growth for 61 years, since 1962.
The center said that preparations for the new survey took more than a year and were implemented after NBS approved the plan in October 2024.
Ms. Song said the survey needs to answer some outstanding questions: Does financial support really encourage births? How does fertility differ across demographic groups? How do families perceive their child care needs?