China Focus: Simplified maternity allowance to boost more birth-friendly China quest

BEIJING -- An increased number of regions in China are granting maternity allowances directly to individuals instead of via their employers, thereby simplifying the process for mothers to claim this money.

According to the National Health Security Administration, all new mothers in 12 provinces across the country, as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, are entitled to receive the allowance directly in their bank accounts.

In addition, most other provinces have granted the allowances directly to part, if not all, of the eligible group, the administration noted.

It said that direct payment of maternity allowances to individuals helps make medical insurance more accessible, therefore better protecting the rights and interests of female employees during maternity leave.

Maternity allowance refers to the living expenses paid to female employees during their absence from work due to childbirth, as stipulated by Chinese laws and regulations.

Historically, these funds were disbursed to employers, who would then distribute them to employees. However, there have been instances where employees did not receive the complete entitlement. The expanding group of flexibly employed women further complicates the situation in China.

"When my first child was born, I had to submit a stack of documents and wait a month or so to get my allowance," said a woman surnamed Li in North China's Hebei province. "For my second child this time, the allowance was credited into my personal account only two to three days after the hospital discharge settlement."

Quick settlement of this allowance enabled Li to concentrate on taking care of herself and the newborn baby without distractions. "This effectively reduced the burden of childbirth on my family," she added.

Earlier this month, central authorities issued a set of guidelines on further improving public well-being, which pledged support for locations where conditions permit to distribute maternity allowances directly to maternity insurance participants.

This move is yet another effort by the Chinese government to promote childbirth in the face of challenges of a dwindling number of newborns and a growing aging population. The country's birth rate and number of newborns both dropped for seven consecutive years before reporting rises in 2024, while the population aged 60 and above reached 310 million last year.

To boost its birth rate, China has implemented a slew of supportive policies in recent years. It phased out the one-child policy by allowing married couples to have two children in 2016 and announced support for couples looking to have a third child in 2021.

In addition to financial support, other incentive measures include increased childcare services, extended maternity leave, and strengthened support in education, housing and employment, all aimed at fostering a birth-friendly society.

This year, generous childcare subsidies have been reported across China as part of the country's holistic efforts to boost birth rates, making news headlines and sparking significant discussions.