Since 2022, China’s population has been in decline, signaling a demographic shift with profound and far-reaching consequences. The impact is compounded by a rapidly aging population. In response, the Chinese government has pivoted towards pro-natalist policies. Local governments have rolled out various initiatives to encourage families to have more children, including housing subsidies, cash incentives, and expanded maternity and childcare leave. In July 2025, the central government announced it will offer families a three-year annual cash allowance for each child born after January 1, 2025. Whether China’s new pro-natalist policies will succeed in reversing its demographic decline remains uncertain, but the issue is critical, both for China’s future and for the global economy.
In a panel discussion conducted on September 8, 2025, Susan Greenhalgh and Xuan Li, in conversation with Carl Minzner, examine China’s evolving family policy landscape and the implications of new policies and incentives for China’s people and economy.
