New Delhi, February 6: China, once known for its strict one-child policy, is now urging women to have more children. According to a report from Mekong News, based in Myanmar, the birth rate in the country has been dictated not by women, but by government policies over the past four decades.
Initially, the one-child policy was implemented in 1979 to curb population growth. However, there is now increasing pressure on women to bear more children due to a significant decline in the country’s population.
Recent official statistics reveal the gravity of the situation. In 2025, approximately 7.92 million infants were born, a decrease of 1.62 million (about 17%) from 9.54 million in 2024. The birth rate has dropped to 5.63 per 1,000 people, marking a record low.
This is the lowest level since modern census records began in China in 1949. The report states, “Beijing still views childbirth not as a matter of personal freedom but as a tool for economic planning.”
The report further explains that the one-child policy deprived many women of their desires, forcing them into abortions, sterilizations, and both physical and mental abuse. The government has coerced compliance not through democratic means but through force.
It also highlights the societal preference for sons, which has affected the gender ratio in the country. In 2016, China abolished the one-child policy in favor of a two-child policy, which was later expanded to a three-child policy as birth rates continued to decline.
The report indicates that “the illusion of policy change reveals a deeper issue: instead of promoting individual desires, the government has begun to impose its policies due to economic pressures.”
While the government advocates for increased birth rates, many couples are hesitant to take risks due to rising costs, career responsibilities, and gender-based discrimination in the workplace. Notably, the number of women of childbearing age has also decreased due to the skewed gender ratio.
The report concludes, “Even though the government is now encouraging childbirth, women remain trapped within policy constraints.”