Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has emphasised the critical role of women in establishing a "new trend of family" as China faces challenges associated with an ageing population and a declining birth rate.
His comments, published by the state news agency Xinhua, were part of discussions with the new leadership team of the All China Women's Federation, which operates under the Communist Party.
Xi underscored that the role of women is not only related to their personal development but is also intertwined with "family harmony, social harmony, national development, and national progress." He stressed the need to actively cultivate a new culture of marriage and childbearing while providing guidance on young people's perspectives on marriage, childbirth, and family.
Various factors, such as high childcare costs, career obstacles, gender discrimination, and a reluctance to marry, have deterred many young Chinese women from having children. The linkage between birth rates and marriage rates is significant in China due to official policies that make it challenging for single women to have children, reported Reuters.
China's National Bureau of Statistics reported the country's first population decline in six decades in January, and the nation is grappling with a rapidly ageing population. Over the past two years, authorities in China have introduced measures aimed at increasing the birth rate, including financial incentives and the expansion of childcare facilities.
State media has often associated population development with the strength and "rejuvenation" of the country.