China pushes to build 'birth-friendly society' in 15th Five-Year Plan period

(ECNS) -- China is stepping up efforts to build a "birth-friendly society" during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030). Childcare subsidies introduced last year have already benefited more than 33 million families.

More than 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) in new investment has also been arranged for childcare services this year, authorities said.

Zheng Gongcheng, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) and president of the China Association of Social Security, said that although childbirth is covered by medical insurance, maternity allowance is currently only available to female workers who participate in maternity insurance, leaving some women without access to the benefit.

The deputy suggested establishing a "maternity pension" system, under which the time spent on infant care, such as one or two years, would be counted as a deemed contribution period, ensuring that women's pension benefits are not affected by childcare and recognizing the social value of childbirth.

Fu Qingmei, an NPC deputy and deputy head of Hezhang County, Bijie, Guizhou province, called attention to the "childcare dilemmas" in rural areas, saying infants and toddlers under age 3 often face a lack of care and inadequate childcare services.

Fu believes that rural childcare services face shortages in resources, professionals, and standardized norms. She suggested creating a system to ensure children under age 3 in rural areas can grow in a safe and standardized childcare environment.

Expanding coverage of the maternity insurance system and accelerating the development of public-interest childcare services have been included in the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan to address public concerns.

The draft outline has also explicitly stated the goal to optimize childbirth support policies and incentive measures to effectively reduce the costs of childbirth, parenting, and education for families.

Yao Jinbo, CEO of life services website 58.com and an NPC deputy, believes that childbirth support requires systematic planning. He suggested the establishment of a comprehensive support system for children until they turn 18. By supporting every stage of marriage, pregnancy, and parenting, families can have greater confidence and clearer expectations when making childbirth decisions, he said.

The 15th Five-Year Plan period is crucial for establishing and improving the childbirth and parenting policy system, Zheng said. Using institutional support to share the costs of childbirth and alleviate parenting anxieties will provide a solid foundation for every family to be confident in both having and raising children, he added.

(By Zhang Dongfang)