China has introduced a 13% sales tax on contraceptives from 1 January, while exempting childcare, marriage-related services and elderly care, as part of efforts to address falling birth rates.
The changes follow a broader tax overhaul that removes long-standing exemptions dating back to the one-child policy era and accompanies measures such as longer parental leave and cash incentives.
With the population shrinking for a third consecutive year and births in 2024 falling to about half their level a decade ago, Beijing is under pressure from an ageing society and a slowing economy.
The new tax on items like condoms and birth control pills has drawn criticism and mockery online, with many arguing that higher living and education costs, not contraception prices, deter people from having children.
Some worry the policy could increase risks of unwanted pregnancies or HIV, particularly among students and lower-income groups. Experts are divided on whether the move is symbolic encouragement of higher fertility or simply a way to raise revenue, warning that intrusive population policies could ultimately backfire.
Photo by Erik Araujo
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