Mei Ri Jing Ji Xin Wen·2025-09-10 16:28Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the efforts of the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference to address declining birth rates and population issues by studying successful policies in Tianmen City, Hubei Province [1][2]. Group 1: Population Trends in Heilongjiang - Heilongjiang has experienced a continuous decline in its resident population since 2011, dropping from 38.33 million in 2010 to 30.29 million in 2024, a decrease of over 8 million people in 14 years [1]. - The province has the highest percentage of elderly population in China, with 8.35 million people aged 60 and above, accounting for 27.3% of the total population, which is 6.2 percentage points higher than the national average [2]. - Heilongjiang's birth rate is the lowest in the country at 2.92‰, with a natural population growth rate of -6.92‰, indicating a significant demographic challenge [2]. Group 2: Policy Initiatives to Boost Birth Rates - The Heilongjiang government has implemented various policies to encourage childbirth, including monthly subsidies of 500 yuan for second children and 1,000 yuan for third children, as well as housing subsidies for families with multiple children [2]. - As of March 2025, 19,260 individuals in Harbin have received a total of 225 million yuan in subsidies, but the impact on birth rates has been minimal, with a slight increase from 3.3 million births in 2022 to 3.5 million in 2024 [3]. Group 3: Challenges in Increasing Birth Rates - The article emphasizes that improving birth rates is a complex issue that requires comprehensive efforts, particularly in Northeast China, where demographic challenges are more pronounced [4].