Chinese Provinces Are Giving Newlyweds Paid Marriage Leave. Here's Why

Amid the shrinking birth rate, some Chinese provinces are giving young newlyweds 30 days of paid leaves in the hope of encouraging young marriage and boosting a flagging birth rate. Quoting a statement by Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily Health, Reuters reported that China's minimum paid marriage leave is three days, however, provinces have been able to set their own more generous allowances in hope that it might take out the country of its declining birth rate. 

While some China provinces are giving 30 days of marriage leave, others have a provision of leave for about 10 days. As per Reuters, Gansu and Shanxi provinces are giving 30 days, while Shanghai is giving 10 days and Sichuan is still giving only 3. 

"Extending marriage leave is one of the effective ways of increasing the fertility rate," Yang Haiyang, dean of the Social Development Research Institute of the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said. 

"The extension of marriage leave is mainly in some provinces and cities with relatively slow economic development," Mr Haiyang stated, adding that there was an urgent need to both expand the labour force and stimulate consumption. 

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According to Mr Haiyang, a host of other supporting policies, such as housing subsidies and paid paternity leave, are still needed to boost the country's flagging birth rate. 

Meanwhile, as per the official data, China's population fell last year for the first time in six decades. Last year the country recorded its lowest-ever birth rate, of 6.77 births per 1,000 people. 

Earlier this month it was also reported that Chinese sperm banks are appealing to college students and healthy men to donate sperm after the country registered a negative population growth. Notably, officials have been trying to find ways to boost the nation's birth rate and have even urged authorities to ramp up the introduction of policies to promote fertility.