The birth is ineffective, and the country is in a hurry! Can the New Deal Praised by Netizens Save the Population Crisis?
In 2023, a figure that makes countless families sigh and make the country anxious will come out - the number of births in the country is only 9.02 million, which is like a wake-up call, announcing that the era of China's demographic dividend is about to become a thing of the past.
I think that at the beginning, in the era of the "baby boom", it was common for a family to have three or five children, but now, the birth rate that has just kept the 9 million mark has made us have to face up to a grim reality: the fertility rate has really dropped.
Think about that year, as soon as the "comprehensive two-child" policy was liberalized in 2016, how many families rejoiced, thinking that they could usher in a wave of small upsurge in childbirth. But the result? In just a few years, the number of births has dropped by nearly half, and the rate of decline is even more exciting than riding a roller coaster.
This declining fertility rate is not a problem unique to China, and all countries around the world are suffering from it. However, China's fertility rate is now lower than that of the United States and Western Europe.
Let's talk about Japan next door, the fertility rate of people has surpassed ours, and South Korea, which is the "low fertility trap", is only one step away. Our China, has quietly become the second to last in the world, and I don't feel good when I think about it.
Why is the fertility rate falling so fast? Speaking of which, there are a whole number of reasons behind this.
First of all, we have to talk about this housing price, we Chinese people, since ancient times, have paid attention to a "family", how can you start a family without a house? But this house price is like a wild horse, running wild all the way, which is beyond people's reach.
The average price of newly built commercial housing has soared to 10,500 yuan per square meter, and most young people have to rely on loans if they want to buy a house. Paying off the mortgage every month and having to raise a baby is not ordinary.
Let's talk about education. Today's parents all hope that their children can become dragons and phoenixes, and as soon as this expectation is high, the cost of education will naturally rise.
What cram schools, interest classes, weekends, and holidays are full, children are tired, and parents are also tired. This involution of education has made many young couples daunted, thinking that having a baby is a bottomless pit.
Also, this medical expense is also a lot of expenses, once the child is sick, the medical expenses, examination fees, hospitalization fees, all have to spend money. In addition, many parents will now buy commercial insurance for their children, which is even more financially stressful.
Not to mention the pension and welfare guarantees. Now that the pension level is not high, the possibility of delaying retirement is increasing, and thinking about the fact that you may have to subsidize your children when you are old, this is even more bottomless.
In the face of this problem of declining fertility, the country is not without a solution, and recently, it has tentatively introduced a series of fertility policies. Take Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province as an example, there are corresponding subsidies for having one, two, and three children. The maximum annual subsidy for the second child is 12,000, and the third child is as high as 24,000. Although the amount of this subsidy is not too much, it is also a little comfort and encouragement for those families who want to have children.
As soon as this policy came out, the Internet exploded, and some netizens said: "This policy is good, I finally see that the country has paid attention to the issue of childbirth." Some netizens are worried: "What can I do with this subsidy?" Housing prices, education, and medical care have not yet been resolved. Some netizens ridiculed: "If this subsidy is bigger, I will give birth to three children immediately!" ”
But then again, this fertility problem is not something that can be solved overnight. If we want to increase the fertility rate, we have to find the root cause and find a way. It's like curing a disease, you have to prescribe the right medicine.
First of all, we have to solve the housing price problem. Let young people afford to buy and live in a house, so that they can have the heart to think about having a baby.
Secondly, we need to reduce the pressure on education. Let education return to its essence and fairness, and stop parents worrying about their children's education.
In addition, it is necessary to strengthen medical security and improve the level of pension benefits, so that the people do not have to worry about seeing a doctor and have a guaranteed pension, so that they can have the confidence to welcome the arrival of a new life.
Of course, the state is also actively formulating and implementing more comprehensive birth policies, such as increasing tax incentives for families with children, providing more nursery and kindergarten resources, and improving the working environment for women. These policies are all designed to make young people willing to give birth, dare to give birth, and be able to give birth.
In short, the problem of declining fertility is not a trivial matter, it is related to the future of our country and the rise and fall of our nation. Therefore, each of us must pay attention to it, start from ourselves, and contribute to the future of the country. I hope that one day in the future, we can see a vibrant, prosperous and prosperous China!