China’s three-child policy is unlikely to be welcomed by working women

TIL Desk/World/Beijing/ China’s new policy of allowing couples to have three children (replacing the previous limit of two) is an attempt to respond to ageing population concerns and a slowing birth rate. But the policy’s implications for working women and their families mean few will welcome the change with open arms.

Population ageing is a significant concern in China. According to the latest national census in November 2020, the number of people in the country aged 60 and above has reached 260 million – or 18.7 per cent of the population. By 2050, this number is expected to increase to 500 million.

Though societies are ageing around the world, the challenges are more acute in China due to the number of people involved (nearly 20 per cent of the global population), their relatively low income level, and the country’s stage of economic development.

While improved living standards have increased life expectancy, the state’s family planning policy – the “one-child policy” – has contributed most to the ageing trend. This policy was formally introduced in 1979 in response to concerns that uncontrolled population growth would jeopardise economic development and modernisation, and was strictly and effectively implemented in urban areas through workplace fines and other punitive measures.