More expensive condoms to boost birth rate in China

BeijingThe Chinese government continues to approve measures to try to stimulate the birth rateAmong these measures are some highly controversial ones, such as increasing the price of condoms, which are accompanied by financial aid for expectant parents. For the first time since 1993, the government has decided to tax contraceptives with a 13% levy. The measure includes devices, pills, and condoms. This decision consolidates the shift in trends and the abolition of the last remaining birth control strategies implemented under the one-child policy.

Three decades ago, preventing more than one pregnancy was mandatory, and contraceptive methods, such as sterilization, were subsidized and encouraged by the government. Before 2017, it was common to see advertisements for abortion clinics and contraceptives at bus stops in Beijing. This advertising has disappeared from public spaces. Currently, the government is also trying to make it more difficult to access abortion and has begun restricting it to only therapeutic reasons.

In some southern regions of the country, even more direct pressure has been used on women to encourage them to have children. Social service personnel are calling married women to warn them about the most fertile days of their menstrual cycles and offer vitamins for their husbands, according to witnesses interviewed on the social network Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).

Taxing contraceptives is one of the measures in the VAT tax update that will take effect in January 2026. The reform also includes incentives for expectant parents, such as exemption from the tax on daycare and preschool services in China.

The price increase for contraceptives seems somewhat inconsistent as a deterrent to having children, given that China is one of the countries where raising a child is most expensive. However, it fits into the government's narrative to encourage a higher birth rate. to encourage marriage and protect the family

The enormous cost of raising a child

In China, the cost of raising a child to age 18 is 6.3 times the country's GDP per capita, reaching €81,000, according to a study by the local YuWa Population Research Institute. Only South Korea, a country with one of the lowest birth rates, is more expensive to raise a child.

The measure, especially the increase in the price of condoms, has sparked debate on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo. Some users have questioned its actual impact on the decision to have children, arguing that if you can't afford condoms, you certainly can't afford to have children. There have also been concerns about the increased risk of sexually transmitted infections and HIV transmission. Unlike in the West, where HIV transmission has declined, in China it continues to rise among young people, primarily due to a lack of information and sex education.

The government has been implementing measures to support the birth rate, including increased maternity and paternity leave, workplace inspections to prevent the dismissal of pregnant women, and a commitment to increasing the number of free childcare centers – currently, most are paid. A national allowance of 430 euros per child under three was also approved. Some provincial and local governments have joined in by offering extra financial incentives to couples who have a second and third child – having more than three children is prohibited – and even facilitating access to housing.

The birth rate has halved in ten years

But in a time of economic slowdown and rising unemployment, having children is not a priority and The birth rate continues to stagnateIn 2024, only 9.5 million births were registered, practically half the number recorded ten years ago. Last year, the population declined for the third consecutive year, reaching 1.408 billion, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The falling birth rate is destabilizing government policies, as China moves toward an aging society that will need to invest more in elder care and will have a smaller workforce.

The government's interest in encouraging young people to start families has led to some administrative changes. For example, this month a new legal interpretation was recognized so that couples living together—with the intention of marrying—are legally recognized as members of a "family," albeit without full rights. A new national mediation mechanism for marital and family disputes was also approved with the aim of preventing conflicts and promoting "equal, harmonious, and civilized" relationships.