China may subsidize couples having second child

China is considering introducing birth rewards and subsidies to encourage people to have a second child, after surveys showed that economic constraints were making many reluctant to expand families, Reuters reports. The potential move was revealed by Wang Peian, vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission at a social welfare conference on Saturday. Birth rates rose to 17.86 million in 2016, the highest level since 2000, after the country issued new guidelines in late 2015 allowing all parents to have two children amid growing concerns over the costs of supporting an aging population. “That fully met the expectations, but barriers still exist and must be addressed,” Wang was quoted as saying in China Daily. A poll conducted by the commission in 2015 found that 60% of families surveyed were reluctant to have a second baby largely due to financial constraints.