Beijing to Grant Parents Having a Third Child 30 Days of Maternity Leave

The official account of the Beijing Citizen Hotline on Wednesday quoted the Beijing Municipal Health Commission as saying that, as regulated after May 31st, those who give birth to a third child will enjoy 30 days of maternity leave and 15 days of paternity leave.

With the consent of government organs, enterprises, institutions, social organizations and other organizations where they work, female employees may have another one to three months leave.

Earlier, some netizens reported on the Message Board for Leaders set on People’s Daily Online about the inconsistency between the birth policy document issued by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council and that stated in Beijing’s population and family planning regulations. Some female workers may be unable to enjoy the three-child birth policy and relevant supporting measures. Netizens have urged the Standing Committee of Beijing Municipal People’s Congress to study and implement new measures soon.

The Beijing Municipal Health Commission replied that Beijing will speed up the revision of relevant policy documents in accordance with national requirements.

The National Health Commission issued a notice in July to assess the population development situation, as well as possible risks in implementing policies, and formulate implementation programs.

To make the new policy more attractive, the document released by the Chinese government on July 20 promises government agencies will roll out a range of support measures, from tax breaks and more flexible working leaves to easier access to nurseries, schools and public housing to ease the burden on families raising three children.

SEE ALSO: Economists Propose Three-Child Policy in China to Combat Reduced Population Growth

Implementing the three-child policy and supporting measures is of important to adapt to the changes in population structure. In 2020, China’s overall fertility rate is at 1.3, far below the replacement level of 2.1. According to the latest census, the proportion of people aged 60 and above in the total population in 2020 is 18.7%, which is 5.44 percentage points higher than it was in 2010, indicating that China is aging faster than most countries in modern history.