Cash Incentives for Young Brides: China's Strategy to Boost Marriages

Chinese officials in Changshan county are offering a cash reward of 1,000 yuan ($137) to couples who marry while the bride is 25 years old or younger, as part of efforts to promote age-appropriate marriage and childbearing. The reward is restricted to first-time couples and is accompanied by subsidies for child care, education, and fertility. Despite previous measures to increase the birth rate, China's fertility rate hit a record low of 1.09 last year, with the number of marriages also declining. Critics argue that the cash reward is ineffective and discriminates against women, while others cite the high cost of raising children in China's competitive society.