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's 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 Tower from The Economist.
Hi, Sarah. How are you doing?
I'm well, Rob. How are you?
Yeah, I'm good.
What have you been up to lately?
I've been working on a piece about China's low altitude economy.
The low altitude economy.
Don't tell me, have you been up in flying cars and things?