Source:
https://scmp.com/economy/article/3169579/two-sessions-2022-ai-tax-cuts-beijing-grasps-solutions-its-population
Economy

‘Two sessions’ 2022: from AI to tax cuts, Beijing grasps for solutions to its population crisis

  • Delegates at China’s ‘two sessions’ have raised pronatalist proposals such as encouraging postgraduate students to get married and using artificial intelligence
  • China’s population is ageing rapidly and births are plunging, a combination that threatens to weigh on economic productivity and burden the health care system
China’s population is ageing rapidly and births are plunging. Photo: Getty Images

China has rolled out a raft of proposals on how to incentivise women to have children, including encouraging postgraduate students to get married, subsidising kindergarten and greater use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education to reduce costs and save time for families.

The ideas, discussed at the annual “two sessions” parliamentary gathering that started on Friday, come against a backdrop of growing concern about the nation’s demographic challenges.

China’s population is ageing rapidly and births are plunging, a combination that threatens to weigh on economic productivity and burden the health care system.

Parliamentary delegates have raised numerous pronatalist proposals such as removing all family planning restrictions, offering free kindergarten for a family’s third child and free day care at workplaces, as well as lowering mortgage rates and personal income tax for families raising multiple children.

China tackles challenges posed by its ageing population

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China tackles challenges posed by its ageing population

Zhou Yanfang, a delegate to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and a deputy general manager at Pacific Medical & Healthcare Management, said there needed to be policies to encourage female graduate and doctorate students to have children, while protecting their rights to do so.

She suggested they be allowed to take maternity leave and doctorate students be given stipends during the time off. Graduation should be able to be postponed accordingly. Universities should also be equipped with maternity and infant health services, while offering counselling services to the student mothers.

The proposal created a stir online, sparking accusations it would stoke gender discrimination within academia and demands that people’s choices be respected.

“I think this delegate’s suggestion is unnecessary,” said independent demographer He Yafu.

“Whether postgraduate students decide to get married and have children does not need to be encouraged nor prohibited, they should decide for themselves. Marriage and giving birth are bound to affect the students academic performance as well.”

I am worried that childbirth becomes a thing that only concerns women Zhou Yanfang

Zhou said a woman’s willingness to give birth should be improved from the root, by offering more societal support and protection of their rights.

“As a woman, I see discrimination against female jobseekers from both male and female managers, increased workloads imposed on working mums. I also see stay-at-home mums working non-stop all year round for the family without getting paid or recognition of their values from society or their own family,” Zhou said.

“I am worried that childbirth becomes a thing that only concerns women.”

She said mandatory paternity leave should be introduced to diminish gender discrimination against women, while improving opportunities to gain management-level experience to amplify their voices in workplaces.

Liu Qingfeng, a NPC delegate and president of voice recognition software company iFlyTek, proposed greater use of AI in education to reduce costs and save time for families.

The cost of raising children, from education to childcare services, is a major deterrent for millennial couples thinking of starting a family.

Mothers in China gave birth to 10.62 million babies last year, a historic low. The 11.5 per cent drop from 2020 contributed to an overall population increase of just 480,000 in the country of 1.4126 billion people.

This renewed warnings from demographers who say China’s population could peak this year or in the near future.

Last year, China eased its controversial family planning restrictions to allow couples to have up to three children.