Officials in Zhejiang province’s Changshan County, China, are incentivizing young people to get married by offering a cash bonus. Couples who marry when the bride is 25 or younger will receive a $137 cash bonus. The county hopes to promote age-appropriate marriage and childbearing. This move comes as China’s population has decreased for the first time in 60 years, largely due to the declining birth rate among young people, despite various efforts to increase it.
Last year, China recorded the lowest number of marriages since 1986, with 6.8 million marriages. The average age for first marriages has risen to over 29 for men and almost 28 for women. High costs, long working hours, and limited child-care options are among the reasons why young people are not having children. However, social media users believe that the cash incentive offered by Changshan County is insignificant and unlikely to bring about significant change. In addition to the cash bonus, the county has announced other incentives such as subsidies for child care and fertility treatments to boost the birth rate.
Similar approaches have been taken in South Korea, which has the world’s lowest birth rate, and Japan. South Korea offers couples approximately $1,500 for the birth of a child, along with additional monthly payments until the child turns 2. The country also provides medical costs for pregnant women, infertility treatment, babysitting services, and dating expenses. In Nagi, Japan, a $1,000 bonus is given for every child born after the second, resulting in a higher fertility rate compared to the national average. These initiatives have proven successful in addressing the fertility crisis and depopulation problem.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
