logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2021
19m 30s

Can China encourage a baby boom?

Al Jazeera
About this episode

China’s slowing birth rate has long been a concern for the government. It’s led to a slew of new policies meant to encourage a baby boom. But some new developments — like the mention of reducing abortions for "non-medical purposes" in new women’s health guidelines — have left some people worried about the role of the state in family planning. So what’s China doing to boost its population numbers, and how will it affect what happens in the bedroom?

In this episode: 

Katrina Yu (@Katmyu), Al Jazeera's China correspondent 

Connect with The Take: 

Twitter (@AJTheTake), Instagram (@ajthetake) and Facebook (@TheTakePod)

Up next
Today
Is direct action for Palestine 'terrorism'? The UK says it is
The UK has outlawed Palestine Action, grouping it with ISIL and al-Qaeda. Supporters of the group now risk up to 14 years in prison, and arrests of protesters opposed to the listing have already begun. What does the decision reveal about the UK’s approach to protest and civil dis ... Show More
20m 40s
Yesterday
What would happen if coral reefs disappeared?
Coral reefs are dying at a record speed, putting a backbone of global food chains at critical risk. More than 80 percent of coral reefs are now hit by mass bleaching. Reefs feed millions, protect coasts and shape economies. What happens when they vanish – and is the world doing e ... Show More
21m 14s
Jul 8
Netanyahu meets Trump: could a Gaza ceasefire deal emerge?
Could Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s third trip to the United States during President Donald Trump's administration mean a ceasefire in Gaza is close at hand? As Netanyahu lands in Washington, DC, for a week of discussions on topics such as Gaza and Iran, what pressu ... Show More
21m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jul 2021
Can China raise its birth rate?
China’s decades-long One Child Policy has led to a low birth rate, and a shrinking workforce. It has also been placing a heavy burden on the younger generations who will have to support two parents and four grandparents. It’s predicted that in five years’ time, a quarter of the p ... Show More
23m 51s
Jan 2024
Can blind dates fix China’s shrinking population?
China’s population is shrinking so its government is trying to get more people to have kids by offering financial incentives and its own dating app. But not everyone is on board. Some people, especially young women, aren’t keen to follow in their parents’ more traditional footste ... Show More
12m 23s
Jun 2021
The legacy of China’s one-child policy
China has recently changed its two-child policy and is now allowing families to have up to three children legally. It's a move aimed to combat the country's plunging birth rate, but what does this major shift in policy mean for China? This episode describes the loss of a child. S ... Show More
34m 30s
Jun 2021
China's birth rate problem
After decades of restrictions, China's leaders want women to have more children. But will a 'three-child' policy prevent a decline in China's population? Ed Butler speaks to Professor Stein Emil Vollset from the University of Washington School of Medicine about the dramatic popul ... Show More
18m 36s
Apr 2023
Why Chinese migrants are arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border
This special weekend episode is all about China.Meet the new migrants making the arduous trek over the Mexico-U.S. border. We talk with those who have left China and find out how they arrived on the Darien Gap.Plus a hot new trend seizes the young and unemployed – Buddhist devoti ... Show More
11m 48s
Jun 2022
Is China’s population falling?
The numbers of people living in the most populated country in the world is expected to start falling this year, for the first time since the great famine more than six decades ago. There's concern about what that means for the global economy, but what do people in China think? BB ... Show More
41m 3s
Aug 2023
Ro Khanna’s Plan to Reset the U.S.-China Relationship
The White House’s China policy needs a reset. So says Rep. Ro Khanna, who has a plan to rebalance trade ties with Beijing and reduce tensions. Host Ravi Agrawal quizzes Khanna on China, the war in Ukraine, India, and more. Foreign Policy Live will be holding an ask-me-anything la ... Show More
49m 44s