Can China boost its birth rate by adopting the Nordic position? Scandinavian baby-making secrets may need a change in mindset

As China drops its two-child limit to increase its birth rate, experts are hoping it can learn from Scandinavian countries that boosted fertility with pro-family policies

But these aren’t easily replicable in China, which will need cultural shifts in gender equality and more financial support to encourage more births

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A woman walks with a baby on a street in Shanghai, after China announced it would allow each couple to have three children, to boost population growth. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 12:00pm, 12 Jun 2021Updated: 8:24am, 21 Jun 2021

With China’s recent announcement of a three-child policy to increase its fertility rate, some Chinese analysts and social commentators have cited the relative success of Nordic countries in raising birth rates.

But while efforts by Scandinavian states in boosting fertility have occasionally been successful, the number of births in these countries has declined in recent years, highlighting the difficulties of sustaining population growth in many advanced economies.

Population experts also point out that some Nordic policies aimed at increasing births may not be easily replicable in China as many of these are also aimed at achieving other social goals such as ensuring gender equality. Cultural factors also play a role, and these too must change and evolve in China if the country hopes to encourage its citizens to have more babies, the experts added.

China needs to give incentives for couples to have a third child, analysts say

On May 31, China announced it will allow couples to have up to three children, after census data showed a steep decline in birth rates. In 2016, the country scrapped its decades-old policy of only allowing one child, replacing it with a two-child limit which has failed to lead to a sustained upsurge in births.

However, the cost of raising children, especially in large cities, has deterred many Chinese couples. Analysts said Beijing should put in place sufficient incentives for people to have larger families, such as providing greater tax relief, housing support and affordable education.

NORDIC FERTILITY HITS AND MISSES

Apart from their high rankings on life expectancy and development indices, the Nordic countries – Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark – are also known for their generous pro-family policies.

In Denmark, parents are given 52 weeks of paid parental leave, while mothers are entitled to four weeks of maternity leave before the expected due date. All new mothers in Finland receive a maternity package containing clothes and a myriad of care products. In Sweden, parents can take up to 16 months of parental leave, the first year paid at 80 per cent of their salary, and up to 480 days of paid parental leave to share between them, with men claiming about 30 per cent of all leave.