To arrest its falling birth rate, China must ensure women do not have to choose between motherhood and the lives they have built
3-MIN READ3-MINLijia ZhangLijia Zhang is a rocket-factory worker turned social commentator, and the author of a novel, Lotus. Published: 5:30am, 6 Aug 2026China’s national childcare subsidy is an encouraging acknowledgement of a simple truth: raising children is expensive.This year, the central government allocated 99.9 billion yuan (US$14.8 billion) to the programme, which provides families with 3,600 yuan annually for each child under three. According to state media, the families of more than 25 million babies have received the subsidy as of last month.
