Langfang, China ¨C New mother Zhang Xiaofei wanted to be financially secure before having a baby, wary of high child care costs that have been softened only a little by Chinese government cash incentives to boost record-low births.
The world¡¯s second-most populous country is threatened with a demographic crisis after its birth rate halved over the past decade ¡ª all while people rapidly age out of the workforce.
Beijing has made ¡°building a childbirth-friendly society¡± a priority over the next five years, China¡¯s Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday as lawmakers gathered in the Great Hall of the People for their annual political conclave.
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