In 2017, our country announced that the annual birth population in Mainland China was only 17.23 million, which was far less than expected. According to a survey conducted by the National Health and Family Planning Commission, high parenting costs, shortage of childcare services, and high pressure on female career development are the main reasons for the decline in fertility rate. International experience shows that the fertility policy must not only change the cost and benefit of family fertility through fiscal and taxation, but more importantly, it must balance the relationship between women's role in work and family. In light of China's actual conditions, we propose short-, medium- and long-term strategies for fertility policies, including: (1) We must immediately liberalize fertility in the short term; vigorously develop the preschool education industry and nursery services, strengthening the national compulsory education system; and give full play to the power of family planning cadres to guide public opinions. (2) In the medium term, a pay-as-you-go childbirth fund system can be established, and at the same time, the existing stock of social support funds can be used to reduce financial pressure; maternity leave should be extended and the parental leave system should be introduced; and housing policies that encourage childbirth can be formulated. (3) Long-term consideration can be given to tax reductions and exemptions for multi-child families and enterprises that re-employ women after giving birth, and appropriate financial subsidies to multi-child families. Finally, the fertility policy should fully consider regional differences. On the basis of the basic principles established by the central government, governments at all levels shpuld implement local fertility policies in accordance with local conditions.
