China offers parents $1,500 in bid to boost births

China has introduced a nationwide subsidy program in an effort to address its declining birth rate. The program offers parents a one-time payment of 10,000 yuan (approximately $1,500) for each child born. This is China's first nationwide initiative of its kind, as the government grapples with a looming demographic crisis. The program is part of China's broader efforts to encourage couples to have more children and reverse the country's declining population growth. China's birth rate has been declining in recent years, leading to concerns about the aging of the population and its potential impact on the economy. The subsidy is expected to be welcomed by many Chinese families, who have faced financial pressures in raising children. However, experts have cautioned that the program may not be enough to significantly boost the birth rate, and that broader societal changes, such as improved access to childcare and flexible work arrangements, may be necessary to address the underlying causes of the demographic challenge.