经济压力下的选择：为何从“保楼市”转向“保孩子”？现在有答案

Group 1 - The core issue is the continuous decline in China's birth rate, which fell to 9.03 million in 2023, significantly lower than 17.58 million in 2017, leading to a shift in government policy focus from "protecting the real estate market" to "protecting children" [1] - Despite various measures to stimulate the real estate market, such as lowering mortgage rates to 3.5% and reducing down payment ratios to 20%, the effectiveness has been limited, with average second-hand housing prices in 100 cities dropping for 28 consecutive months [1][3] - The government's long-term real estate control policies, initiated in 2016, have resulted in a significant adjustment period for housing prices, which is expected to eventually align with residents' income levels and potentially enhance the willingness to have children [3] Group 2 - The government plans to accelerate the construction of affordable housing, announcing the provision of 6 million units over the next five years, averaging 1.2 million units annually, aimed at addressing housing issues for low-income families and promoting marriage and childbirth [5] - Revisions to the marriage registration regulations, including the removal of the household registration requirement, are intended to lower barriers to marriage, thereby increasing marriage rates and ultimately boosting birth rates [5] - The Chinese government is exploring multiple solutions to counteract the declining birth rate, including real estate regulation, affordable housing initiatives, and marriage facilitation measures, with the effectiveness of these strategies yet to be determined [8]