China's populous Guangdong issues more favorable housing polices to support multi-child families

Doctor Liu Jianshi (left) performs auscultation screening on a child in Yuepuhu county on May 13, 2023. Photo:Li Hao/GT

Guangdong, the most populous province in China, has rolled out measures to provide household relief targeting childbirth, parenting and education so as to further promote the long-term balanced development of the province's population.

Guangdong will implement policies to incentivize families with multiple children according to guidelines released by the Guangdong provincial health commission on Wednesday.

In 2022, the number of permanent residents in Guangdong remained the highest in the country, with a birth rate 1.53 thousandths of a point higher than the national average during the same period. Guangdong has become the only province with more than 1 million births for three consecutive years, and the first province with the country's highest birth rate for five consecutive years.

The province's concessional housing policy will be tilted toward families with several children. For families with multiple children who do not own a house or who rent a house in the city, their housing provident fund can be withdrawn at a higher rate or according to actual rent expenditure.

For multi-child families seeking to purchase a first home, cities in Guangdong will offer appropriate support policies such as increasing the loan ratio available from an individual's housing provident fund.

Guangdong will reduce income tax for individuals with children aged 3 years old and under, and adopt an incentive mechanism to guarantee childcare subsidies are targeted to groups in need.

Medical expenses such as birthing costs and prenatal check-ups will be covered by medical insurance funds for urban and rural residents, according to the guidelines.

Guangdong will increase the supply of public kindergarten spaces year by year. It will build, renovate and expand 2,500 public kindergartens before 2025. Kindergartens located in new residential areas will be publicly operated. The province will encourage and support state-owned enterprises and institutions, colleges and universities, and community and village collectives to open and operate public kindergartens.

For childcare subsidies, local regulations adopted by the city of Shenzhen were published to solicit public commentin January.

Families with a first child are eligible to receive a one-time subsidy of 3,000 yuan ($420), in addition, a child care subsidy of 1,500 yuan which will be issued every year until the child reaches 3 years old. For families with a third child, a one-time birth subsidy of 10,000 yuan will be issued and an annual childcare subsidy of 3,000 yuan will be issued until the child reaches the age of 3 years old.

Besides, Guangdong is home to a significant migrant population, ranking No.1 in the country, data showed. The total number of the migrant population in Guangdong reached 29.622 million in 2022, accounting for 23.5 percent of the total population.

Various localities have introduced fertility support measures from the beginning of this year, such as issuing maternity allowances and childcare subsidies, and strengthening housing security support. Among them, Shenyang, Hangzhou, Jinan, Changsha, Harbin and other places are to provide childcare subsidies.

Most recently, Dehua county in East China's Fujian Province released a generous incentive to encourage larger families. Family units who have a third child can receive a one-time subsidy of 10,000 yuan and be eligible for parental leave no less than 10 days in length.