https://www.scmp.com/rss/519891/feed China’s birth rate – the number of births per 1,000 people – has fallen yearly since 2016. In 2023, it reached an all-time low of 6.39, equating to 9.02 million births – the lowest annual figure since records began in 1949. Despite a spate of government policies to boost births, young adults remain reluctant owing to high child-rearing costs, the state of the job market, and evolving social attitudes that have similarly decreased the marriage rate. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Yating Yang Yating Yang A Chinese influencer with more than 12 million followers has sparked controversy after filming his wife’s 23-hour childbirth and posting the video online. The footage included her suffering severe post-partum bleeding and images of her exposed body. The influencer known as “Paul in USA”, who was born in 1990, graduated from Columbia University in the United States and is based in Seattle. He previously worked as a product manager at Microsoft. In February 2019, he began posting videos online... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3343290/nudity-china-influencer-slammed-profiting-privacy-live-streaming-wifes-childbirth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3343290/nudity-china-influencer-slammed-profiting-privacy-live-streaming-wifes-childbirth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:00:10 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China’s marriage registrations edged up in 2025, offering a glimmer of hope for the birth outlook this year, but analysts caution that deeper demographic headwinds remain entrenched and difficult to reverse without broader policy support. China recorded 6.76 million marriage registrations nationwide in 2025, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, marking a 10.8 per cent increase from a year earlier, or 657,000 more couples. The number of marriage registrations is closely watched in China,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343330/chinas-marriage-rebound-will-more-2025-knots-bring-more-baby-bumps-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343330/chinas-marriage-rebound-will-more-2025-knots-bring-more-baby-bumps-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A new “parenting” trend in China is seeing young women embrace “painless motherhood” by raising cotton dolls as their own children. The toy-caring fad even extends to celebrating their “children’s” birthdays at hotpot restaurants, buying expensive clothes and even taking them on holidays. The trend gained attention in October 2023, when a woman took her cotton dolls to the popular hotpot chain Haidilao and made a viral post titled: “Is Haidilao Discriminating Against Cotton Doll Owners?”. In the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3342361/china-gen-z-nurtures-stuffed-toys-real-babies-celebrates-birthdays-shows-affection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3342361/china-gen-z-nurtures-stuffed-toys-real-babies-celebrates-birthdays-shows-affection?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang An orphan, trained as a cold-hearted assassin, learns what love truly means from a master thief. On a sunny Sunday afternoon, however, she kills her lover, granting him freedom as her final gift. Joyce, from Shenzhen in southern China, played this female killer in a script-killing game, and after a 10-hour plot unfolding, tears streamed down her face upon reaching this ending. She is one of many participating in the recently booming romantic script-killing games in China. In traditional... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3342530/china-women-pay-companions-role-playing-games-spark-love-commercialisation-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3342530/china-women-pay-companions-role-playing-games-spark-love-commercialisation-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 06:00:11 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma Lawrence J. Lau is a Hong Kong economist specialising in economic development and East Asian economies. He was an economics professor at Stanford University in the United States before becoming vice-chancellor and president of the Chinese University of Hong Kong until 2010. Lau has held the Ralph and Claire Landau Professor of Economics chair at the university since 2007. For other interviews in the series, click here. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series.... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3341714/china-needs-more-education-higher-wages-advance-lawrence-lau-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3341714/china-needs-more-education-higher-wages-advance-lawrence-lau-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 02:00:15 +0000 Paul Yip Paul Yip Mainland China’s and Hong Kong’s birth rates fell to record lows last year, despite extensive government incentives to encourage larger families. In Hong Kong, registered births fell 14 per cent to a historic low of 31,714 in 2025. Notably, the increase in births in 2024 may have been due to the auspicious Year of the Dragon. It is believed that babies born in the dragon year will grow up to be smart and successful. This is likely to have affected the timing of births as seen in Hong Kong during... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341016/hong-kong-must-tackle-challenges-super-aged-society-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3341016/hong-kong-must-tackle-challenges-super-aged-society-head?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A 59-year-old woman in China has given birth to a baby boy and in the process realised her dream of having another child because her daughter lives abroad, making her and her husband feel lonely. On January 9, the infant was born via caesarean section at Zhangjiagang No 1 People’s Hospital in eastern Jiangsu province, weighing 2.2kg. His mother, surnamed Zou, has set a record as the oldest pregnant woman in the city, according to a report by the local news outlet jsnews.org.cn. “Seeing the baby... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339980/lonely-chinese-woman-59-becomes-oldest-her-city-give-birth-after-ivf-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339980/lonely-chinese-woman-59-becomes-oldest-her-city-give-birth-after-ivf-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu China’s national health authorities have announced a new policy in Beijing that allows retired people to be reimbursed the cost of a prenatal examination, sparking widespread mockery online. On January 12, the online topic “Beijing pensioners’ prenatal check-up can be reimbursed” made a mainland social media platform’s trending list, attracting seven million views. According to a public announcement by the National Healthcare Security Administration, Beijing has begun allowing prenatal check-up... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339864/mad-boost-birth-rate-china-allows-retirees-claim-prenatal-exam-costs-sparks-mockery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339864/mad-boost-birth-rate-china-allows-retirees-claim-prenatal-exam-costs-sparks-mockery?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 10:00:09 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China’s birth count plummeted to a record low last year, falling by about 10 million from its 2016 peak and slashing the total by more than half in less than a decade, as the country’s population shrank for a fourth consecutive year. Only 7.92 million babies were born in 2025, down 17 per cent from 9.54 million in 2024, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on Monday. This marked the lowest birth figure since records began in 1949 and broke the previous record low set... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340398/chinas-demographic-alarms-blare-births-hit-historic-low-and-population-shrinks-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340398/chinas-demographic-alarms-blare-births-hit-historic-low-and-population-shrinks-again?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 07:09:40 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Online artificial intelligence-generated videos of distraught middle-aged single women regretting not getting married and having children are being used to push young people to tie the knot. Several videos made using artificial intelligence (AI) depicting crying single women at hospitals have circulated on a short video platform. In one, a 58-year-old woman regrets not getting married and having children when she was young and complains that she has to go to hospitals alone. In another, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337091/china-parents-buy-ai-clips-regretful-single-women-urge-childless-kids-marry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337091/china-parents-buy-ai-clips-regretful-single-women-urge-childless-kids-marry?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 06:00:09 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China has taken a step towards regulating the childcare industry at the national level, drafting legislation to standardise services and lower costs as policymakers fight to reverse a demographic decline that could have long-term economic ramifications. The draft Childcare Services Law was submitted on Monday to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress for review, according to Xinhua. The bill, comprising eight chapters and 76 articles, aims to establish a national legal... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337317/china-eyes-childcare-overhaul-law-boost-births-fix-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337317/china-eyes-childcare-overhaul-law-boost-births-fix-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 08:30:14 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A concerned mother in China has revealed that her local authorities are requiring all post-partum women to report when they had their last menstrual period. The request has sparked a backlash over privacy concerns and abuse of power. On December 2, an unidentified new mother in Xuanwei, Yunnan province, southwestern China, raised concerns on social media after revealing that local authorities were requiring all new mothers to report the dates of their “last menstrual period”. According to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3335178/women-china-community-chat-group-required-share-menstrual-dates-raises-privacy-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3335178/women-china-community-chat-group-required-share-menstrual-dates-raises-privacy-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Dec 2025 06:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A same-sex couple from Taiwan welcomed four babies through surrogacy in Mexico, sparking an online backlash with accusations of “buying babies” and “selfishness”. The pair, a space designer surnamed Liu and his husband Lin, married in 2022. Taiwan legalised same-sex marriage in 2019, becoming the first in Asia to do so. On November 11, the couple shared a video announcing the arrival of their four babies via surrogacy and said they had decided to document their children’s journey. Lin revealed... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3333218/buying-babies-taiwan-gay-couples-surrogacy-produces-4-infants-sparks-online-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3333218/buying-babies-taiwan-gay-couples-surrogacy-produces-4-infants-sparks-online-backlash?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:00:12 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China expects its population to shrink by 0.2 per cent a year between now and 2035, worsening demographic challenges that threaten to slow the nation’s economic growth. “Changes in China’s demographic structure pose new challenges for economic development and social governance,” the Communist Party said in the outline for the 15th five-year plan, which covers the second half of the decade. The population forecast was in a supplementary booklet. Efforts to revive China’s birth rate, including the... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3332338/chinas-population-outlook-gets-even-worse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3332338/chinas-population-outlook-gets-even-worse?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 09:00:46 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Early in the morning in cities across China, groups of people gather in public squares, moving as one in slow, deliberate tai chi routines. Many are in their sixties or seventies – an age group that has long defined the rhythm of daily life in much of the country. While these dedicated practitioners have been a part of the national routine for decades, their ubiquity carries new connotations as the country undergoes a profound shift in population dynamics: China is growing old, fast. As of last... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332223/more-china-becomes-moderately-aged-how-will-its-economy-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332223/more-china-becomes-moderately-aged-how-will-its-economy-change?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Phoebe Zhang Phoebe Zhang In the central Chinese province of Hubei, one small city is going the extra mile to reverse falling birth rates. Grass-roots volunteers in Tianmen are playing matchmaker for its young singles, combing through the details of all unmarried people in the area, putting the information on community posters and offering their services, according to Guangzhou-based Southern Weekend. Video footage posted on social media showed a swearing-in ceremony for the matchmakers in one village. It is one of a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3332036/state-matchmaking-and-pr-blitz-way-boost-chinas-birth-rate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3332036/state-matchmaking-and-pr-blitz-way-boost-chinas-birth-rate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Nov 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China recorded a year-on-year uptick of 8.5 per cent in marriage registrations over the first three quarters of 2025, a rare piece of positive demographic news as the country’s population continues to shrink and rise in average age. The increase suggests that a host of recently introduced pro-marriage policies are starting to pay off, but experts cautioned the number of marriages would still decline over the long term as the pool of younger adults dwindles. A total of 5.15 million couples... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331782/china-records-85-uptick-marriages-new-policies-kick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3331782/china-records-85-uptick-marriages-new-policies-kick?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo How much do financial incentives and other means of support influence the decision to have children, or how many to have? In China, the connection appears weak. Despite being the country’s top contributor of newborns, the southern economic powerhouse of Guangdong offers one of the poorest environments for childbirth, Chinese researchers said in a recent study. The most populous province and a rare bright spot amid a national fertility downturn, Guangdong placed second to last in a composite... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328545/researchers-find-mismatch-between-chinas-fertility-incentives-local-birth-rates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3328545/researchers-find-mismatch-between-chinas-fertility-incentives-local-birth-rates?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 05:00:08 +0000 Jianlu Bi Jianlu Bi As Beijing’s annual kindergarten and primary school enrolment season wrapped up in the summer, the mix of joy and disappointment among families was palpable. It brought to mind the dramatic evolution of China’s education system, as experienced by myself and my children. I was born in rural China in the 1980s and education was always going to be my escape route. “Knowledge is power” was not a cliché; it was a creed my parents, though farmers, held dear. Their sacrifices, coupled with my own... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3327591/my-familys-journey-through-chinas-changing-educational-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3327591/my-familys-journey-through-chinas-changing-educational-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 01:30:07 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Liu Qian is the founder of Wusawa Advisory and formerly the managing director of The Economist Group in Greater China. She is also a prominent advocate for gender equality and the only Chinese representative in the core working group of the UN Women Leaders Network. In this interview, she discusses how Chinese innovation differs from Western innovation, where the US-China rivalry is headed and the critical role of women’s voices in policymaking. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3326798/economist-liu-qian-chinas-innovation-rivalry-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3326798/economist-liu-qian-chinas-innovation-rivalry-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 06:45:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo In an attempt to jointly address two major policy priorities for China – fostering a “birth-friendly society” and bolstering its scientific talent pool – Shanghai has introduced a subsidy programme to support female researchers returning to work after childbirth. The Keyan Return Plan was launched last week by the Shanghai Women’s Association for Science and Technology to address career challenges faced by women in science – particularly those that arise while balancing the demands of motherhood... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325294/china-tackles-2-problems-once-birth-subsidy-women-science?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3325294/china-tackles-2-problems-once-birth-subsidy-women-science?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 08:00:14 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo A primary school in Shanghai has attracted national attention after its student body shrank to just 22 this year, highlighting the dramatic impact China’s plunging birth rate is having on the education system. Sanqiao Primary School in the Pudong New Area now has more full-time staff than pupils – with 22 children and 23 teachers – despite being located in one of China’s largest cities, according to enrolment data released on the local education authority’s website. The information was first... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323641/chinas-population-decline-laid-bare-shanghai-school-enrols-only-22-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323641/chinas-population-decline-laid-bare-shanghai-school-enrols-only-22-pupils?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Aug 2025 12:30:13 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu When Wang Yuyan first heard about China’s new national child subsidy, she was happy about receiving some extra support. But the new mother’s excitement quickly faded when she realised the money was barely enough to cover the rising cost of baby diapers and milk formula. The Hangzhou resident said the diapers she buys for her 4-month-old had gone up from 143 yuan (US$19.90) to 158 yuan just in the few weeks since the government announced the new policy in July. Overall, Wang now spends nearly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322814/chinas-new-child-subsidy-popular-will-it-actually-raise-birth-rate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322814/chinas-new-child-subsidy-popular-will-it-actually-raise-birth-rate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu In a major effort to tackle its deepening demographic crisis, China has launched a nationwide childcare subsidy scheme – the first of its kind by the central government. The much-anticipated programme offers families 3,600 yuan (US$501) annually for each child under the age of three, building on similar initiatives already piloted in more than 20 provinces. In this explainer, the Post looks into the potential impact of the new scheme – and how it compares internationally. How will the scheme... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321239/why-chinas-childcare-subsidies-may-benefit-poorer-regions-and-how-they-stack-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3321239/why-chinas-childcare-subsidies-may-benefit-poorer-regions-and-how-they-stack-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 02:00:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang Nationally renowned and childless Chinese television host Ouyang Xiadan has attracted much attention on social media by addressing questions about who will care for her in old age. She also revealed her plans to hire professional carers later in her life. A widespread online discussion was sparked when Ouyang released a video on her personal social media account on July 29. The television host has 700,000 online followers. In the video, she shared a story about her friends caring for their... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3320456/china-tv-host-ignites-debate-over-childlessness-reveals-plans-hire-carers-old-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3320456/china-tv-host-ignites-debate-over-childlessness-reveals-plans-hire-carers-old-age?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 10:00:07 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China recorded a surprise rebound in marriage registrations in the second quarter as a new policy making it easier for couples to tie the knot kicked in, raising hopes that the government’s efforts to mitigate the country’s demographic decline may be starting to show results. But analysts cautioned that China’s population was still shrinking and that Beijing would need to follow through with even stronger pro-natal policies to foster a sustained recovery in birth numbers. A total of 3.54 million... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320956/china-records-surprise-jump-marriages-raising-hopes-births-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320956/china-records-surprise-jump-marriages-raising-hopes-births-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:00:14 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China will waive tuition fees for children in their final year at public kindergartens from this autumn, as the country intensifies efforts to address its plummeting birth rate. The move, part of a phased plan to make preschool education free, aims to “effectively lower education costs and improve the level of basic public education services”, the State Council, China’s cabinet, said on Tuesday. Children enrolled in approved private kindergartens will also have their tuition fees reduced, with... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320954/will-free-year-preschool-entice-parents-procreate-beijing-bids-boost-births?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320954/will-free-year-preschool-entice-parents-procreate-beijing-bids-boost-births?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 10:00:22 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma China has launched its first national childcare subsidy scheme in an effort to help reverse a long-term decline in its population, which fell for a third consecutive year in 2024, to 1.4083 billion. Under the scheme, rolled out on Monday, parents will receive 3,600 yuan (US$502) annually for every child born on or after January 1, 2025, until they turn three. The subsidy is payable whether the child is their first, second or third. Children born before January 1, 2025 but still under three years... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319968/chinas-us500-year-baby-subsidy-boost-population?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319968/chinas-us500-year-baby-subsidy-boost-population?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun China has announced its most significant central-level effort to reverse a deepening demographic crisis since allowing families to have three children, unveiling a long-awaited national childcare subsidy scheme that will provide up to 10,800 yuan (US$1,505) per child under the age of three. The move came amid mounting urgency among policymakers to stem the population decline and blunt its long-term drag on economic growth and social stability, after years of piecemeal local incentives that... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319872/china-launches-first-national-childcare-subsidies-bid-tackle-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319872/china-launches-first-national-childcare-subsidies-bid-tackle-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 11:48:50 +0000 June Xia June Xia Officials across China have been racking their brains to think of ways to reverse a sharp decline in the country’s marriage rate over the past few years. Their latest idea: Las Vegas-style weddings at popular music festivals. Local officials in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, made headlines over the weekend when they set up a temporary registry office at the Super Strawberry Music Festival – the latest in a string of eye-catching local initiatives designed to tempt... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318758/china-tries-tempt-couples-marriage-music-festival-wedding-booths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318758/china-tries-tempt-couples-marriage-music-festival-wedding-booths?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 08:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A university student in central China has stunned many after giving birth to a “giant baby” in her dormitory, with her roommate calmly noting: “This isn’t her first time giving birth,” despite the scene of heavy bleeding. The dramatic incident, which took place at a university in Hubei province, involved a third-year student unexpectedly going into labour in her dorm room. The date of the occurrence and the student’s identity have not been disclosed. Reports indicate that the student insisted on... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3318453/chinese-university-student-delivers-baby-dorm-while-studying-final-exam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3318453/chinese-university-student-delivers-baby-dorm-while-studying-final-exam?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 06:00:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo More Chinese people dropped out of the voluntary health insurance scheme for urban and rural residents last year, the latest available data shows – piling pressure on the system amid economic challenges and declining public trust. The downward trend in participation – in a scheme designed for farmers and the unemployed – continued in 2024, with 15.8 million fewer people enrolled compared with 2023, according to figures released by the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318270/why-millions-china-are-still-quitting-national-health-insurance-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3318270/why-millions-china-are-still-quitting-national-health-insurance-scheme?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:50:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A woman from central China rode her electric bike to the hospital to address a stomach problem after lunch, only to be informed later that she was pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy just an hour later. The remarkable incident, which became a trending topic on mainland social media, unfolded in Ezhou, Hubei province, on June 16, as reported by Jimu News. The woman, surnamed Li, experienced discomfort in her belly after lunch, attributing it to overeating. However, when the pain persisted, Li... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3315491/china-mum-goes-hospital-stomach-issues-after-lunch-unexpectedly-gives-birth-boy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3315491/china-mum-goes-hospital-stomach-issues-after-lunch-unexpectedly-gives-birth-boy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:00:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Subsidising men’s participation in household chores and childcare could help reverse declining global birth rates, according to a new study, offering a fresh approach to deepening demographic challenges in countries like China. The study, co-authored by researchers from Fudan University and the University of Hong Kong (HKU), argued that subsidies for fathers produce significantly higher long-term fertility gains than solely subsidising mothers. The findings came as the world’s second-largest... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313355/chinas-demographic-crisis-could-ease-male-childcare-subsidies-new-research-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313355/chinas-demographic-crisis-could-ease-male-childcare-subsidies-new-research-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 03:00:15 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun For many young people in China, the government’s call to prepare for retirement decades in advance feels out of touch with reality. With rising job uncertainty amid a slowing economy, stagnant wages and mounting pressures around housing and marriage, most young employees interviewed by the Post said they were too preoccupied with present circumstances to think about old age – and that retirement was simply too distant to prioritise in a rapidly changing world. “There’s no point constantly... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311564/young-chinese-put-retirement-plans-hold-amid-slowing-economy-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311564/young-chinese-put-retirement-plans-hold-amid-slowing-economy-demographic-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 06:00:13 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Chinese village at the centre of an illegal surrogacy racket in which disabled women were used as surrogate mothers has sparked public outrage and an official probe. The racket was exposed on May 12 by an anti-trafficking activist called Shangguan Zhengyi, who has more than 424,000 followers on social media. The activist alerted the authorities after spending several days monitoring a suspicious cottage in Changsha, Hunan province, central China. Police raided the property and discovered 16... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3310495/china-village-centre-illegal-surrogacy-probe-some-proxy-mums-being-deaf-mute-disabled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3310495/china-village-centre-illegal-surrogacy-probe-some-proxy-mums-being-deaf-mute-disabled?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2025 10:00:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A private hospital in eastern China is under investigation for offering illegal in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services specifically for single women, allowing them to meet and choose sperm donors. The Nantai Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, located in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, was shut down and is being probed by the local health commission after a media outlet uncovered its illicit IVF operations. Not listed among the official hospitals authorised to provide these services, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3309925/chinese-hospital-offers-ivf-single-women-allows-them-meet-evaluate-sperm-donors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3309925/chinese-hospital-offers-ivf-single-women-allows-them-meet-evaluate-sperm-donors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 06:00:09 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun As marriage registrations in China continued to decline in the first quarter of the year, local governments have dangled cash rewards as high as 40,000 yuan (US$5,487) in front of young couples in a bid to rekindle the will to wed and stave off the worst of a demographic crisis. In the first three months of 2025, 1.81 million couples registered for marriage, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said last week. This represents a decrease of 159,000 couples compared to the same period last year for an 8... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3308173/more-chinese-leave-knot-untied-marriage-registrations-drop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3308173/more-chinese-leave-knot-untied-marriage-registrations-drop?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Apr 2025 08:00:13 +0000 As China’s youth express reluctance to have children, and those with one child less than enthusiastic over the prospect of more, one densely populated region in the southern province of Guangdong is bucking the trend – but its reasons for doing so appear difficult or downright impossible to replicate nationwide. In Chaoshan, in the east of the province, ancestral halls dot villages and lineage is fiercely honoured. Chen Jiahui, a 28-year-old from the region, said many of her older cousins have... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3307453/chinas-birth-rates-drop-has-guangdong-become-countrys-golden-child?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3307453/chinas-birth-rates-drop-has-guangdong-become-countrys-golden-child?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 01:00:08 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Chinese snack shop that advertises “placenta processing” services and sells capsules made from afterbirth, purportedly to boost health, has sparked criticism and an official investigation. The controversy came to light on April 6 when a netizen shared online that Auntie Congee’s Snack Shop, near the Changzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Jiangsu province, southeastern China, was allegedly processing human placentas and selling them in capsule form. Images circulated online... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3306019/chinese-snack-shop-offers-transform-placentas-health-benefit-pills-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3306019/chinese-snack-shop-offers-transform-placentas-health-benefit-pills-women?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Apr 2025 01:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A 17-year-old girl from China’s Yi minority acted as a surrogate mother and egg provider for a 50-year-old man who allegedly paid her more than 900,000 yuan (US$124,000) to conceive twin boys. The alleged arrangement has sparked widespread public outrage. The scandal surfaced on March 24 when Shangguan Zhengyi, an anti-trafficking activist, revealed on social media that a Yi minority teenage girl became a surrogate mother through an agency in the southern city of Guangzhou and gave birth to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3303939/shock-teen-surrogate-gives-birth-twins-chinese-man-50-receives-us124000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3303939/shock-teen-surrogate-gives-birth-twins-chinese-man-50-receives-us124000?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 01:00:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A teenage boy in China has helped deliver his baby brother with remote guidance from medical staff after his mother’s waters broke at home. On March 20, an emergency centre in southeastern China’s Fujian province reported the case, sparking discussions on mainland social media. The incident unfolded one night in December last year, when paramedic Chen Chaoshun, who was on duty at the emergency centre, received a call just before finishing his shift. A 13-year-old boy told Chen that his 37 weeks... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3303787/china-teen-boy-aids-home-birth-guided-paramedics-over-phone-after-mums-waters-break?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3303787/china-teen-boy-aids-home-birth-guided-paramedics-over-phone-after-mums-waters-break?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Mar 2025 01:00:09 +0000 When Tang Tang, a mother from Tianmen in central China, gave birth to her second child in December, it brought her family untold joy – and a thick wad of cash. Within months of leaving hospital, the local government paid Tang a 6,500-yuan (US$897) reward for having two children as part of a new birth subsidy scheme introduced last year. She will also receive an 800-yuan allowance every month until her new baby turns three. For a family in Tianmen, where income levels are far lower than in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3303756/why-china-betting-birth-subsidies-solve-its-population-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3303756/why-china-betting-birth-subsidies-solve-its-population-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Mar 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A couple in eastern China have welcomed nine daughters, all of whom share the Chinese character di or “brother” in their names, reflecting their desire for a son. The family’s story highlights a traditional preference for male children, particularly in rural areas. It has gained traction on social media in mainland China, as reported by the Shanghai Morning Post. The nine sisters, with a 20-year age gap between the eldest and the youngest, were born and raised in a village in Huaian, Jiangsu... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3302628/china-couple-yearning-son-have-9-girls-all-named-character-di-hoping-boy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3302628/china-couple-yearning-son-have-9-girls-all-named-character-di-hoping-boy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 10:00:07 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A woman in eastern China has attracted online attention after she became a grandmother at the age of 39 while retaining her slim, young looks. The unidentified woman who lives in Suzhou in Anhui province was filmed in a viral video feeding an infant milk with a nursing bottle while the baby’s mother was lying on the bed for a rest, news portal Baidu reported. The baby, who is about one month old, is the woman’s first grandson. “Look, how young this grandmother is! She was just born in 1985,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3302067/39-year-old-grandma-shocks-china-social-media-viral-video-feeding-infant-grandson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3302067/39-year-old-grandma-shocks-china-social-media-viral-video-feeding-infant-grandson?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 06:01:10 +0000 China’s technology hubs of Shenzhen and Hangzhou posted strong population growth in 2024, as the cities bucked the country’s broader demographic decline by attracting a wave of migrants. However, several provinces in central and western China saw their populations shrink amid an intensifying inter-regional talent war driven by the country’s ongoing population crisis. Local governments across China are beginning to release their population data for 2024, with Shenzhen and the eastern province of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301768/chinas-workers-flock-shenzhen-and-hangzhou-talent-war-heats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3301768/chinas-workers-flock-shenzhen-and-hangzhou-talent-war-heats?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 08:00:08 +0000 To reverse a worrisome trend of deaths outpacing births in China, central authorities are being urged to look beyond merely trying to convince adults to procreate – the attention, leaders are now being told, should be on educating children. A top political adviser and leading demographer has proposed that China take action to protect fertility from the earliest stages of a person’s development, by making sexual-health education mandatory for school kids amid a demographic crisis that has... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3301540/china-its-time-talk-sex-education-urged-children-adults-balk-babies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3301540/china-its-time-talk-sex-education-urged-children-adults-balk-babies?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Mar 2025 13:30:08 +0000 A political adviser focusing on the rights of women and children has proposed again this year that China abolish its “divorce cooling-off period” to make the process easier, despite a national push for more people to marry and have families. Jiang Shengnan, a writer and a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, proposed during this year’s “two sessions” that the 30-day waiting period for finalising a divorce be removed from China’s Civil Code. The clause was first... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301197/chinese-political-adviser-calls-easier-divorce-despite-beijings-push-family-values?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3301197/chinese-political-adviser-calls-easier-divorce-despite-beijings-push-family-values?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 08:09:43 +0000 Proposals to provide families with access to free preschool education appear to be gaining political momentum in China, as the country intensifies its efforts to convince couples to have more children by creating a “birth-friendly society”. The idea was formally proposed by a deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC) ahead of the annual meeting of China’s top legislature this week. The proposal – which involves expanding free public education in China from the current nine years to 12... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3300846/bold-new-proposal-solving-chinas-birth-crisis-free-kindergarten?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3300846/bold-new-proposal-solving-chinas-birth-crisis-free-kindergarten?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A man in China has been hospitalised and had part of his small intestine removed after undergoing a painful three-hour childbirth simulation at his girlfriend’s request. According to the mainland news outlet NetEase News, a woman from Henan province in central China took her boyfriend to a labour pain simulation centre as a “test” before their marriage. The unidentified woman said on social media that her mother and sister believed her boyfriend should experience women’s challenges before... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3300193/chinese-man-hospitalised-after-3-hour-childbirth-simulation-lovers-request-sues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3300193/chinese-man-hospitalised-after-3-hour-childbirth-simulation-lovers-request-sues?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 01:00:12 +0000