The Economist.
China's baby crisis is getting worse.
Last year, China's population shrank for the third year in a row
and the marriage rate hit a record low as well.
The country is getting older and its workforce is getting smaller.
President Xi Jinping wants China to build a system that supports child rearing and boosts births.
After all, who else will shoulder the country's pensions burden
and safeguard China's national security?
Now some cities are paying women to have children.
How's that working out?
I'm Rob Gifford, The Economist's Acting China Editor,
and I'm joined by Sarah Wu, our China correspondent based in Beijing.
This week we're asking...
Why are Chinese women not having babies and could paying them per child change that?
This is Drum Ta from The Economist.
Hi, Sarah.
How are you doing?
I'm well, Rob.
How are you?
Yeah, I'm good.