Published on, Aug. 16 -- August 16, 2025 7:26 PM

In a bold move to counter its declining birth rate, the Chinese government has announced its first-ever national child subsidy program, offering parents of children under three years old $500 (3,600 yuan) annually.

Despite being the world's second most populous country, China has one of the lowest birth rates, with the number of newborns declining for the third consecutive year in 2024. Previous measures-including ending the one-child policy and offering incentives-have failed to reverse the trend.

Now, in a fresh policy rollout, the central government aims to support nearly 20 million families by reducing the financial burden of raising children. The subsidy will apply starting this yea...