Overview

• The subsidy provides 3,600 yuan per child under three each year, with prorated payments retroactive to January 1, 2025.
• China’s Finance Ministry has earmarked 90 billion yuan for the 2025 scheme, marking Beijing’s first central-level childcare subsidy.
• The National Health Commission is finalizing regulations and will open online and offline application channels in late August.
• Analysts say the policy signals a shift toward direct family transfers but warn the modest payouts are unlikely to reverse the birth-rate decline or boost consumption soon.
• China’s population has declined for three straight years, and UN projections forecast a fall from 1.4 billion to 800 million by 2100.