Core Insights - The article discusses the efforts of the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference to address declining birth rates by studying successful policies in Tianmen City, Hubei Province [1] 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 in 14 years [1] - The province has the highest proportion 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 measures to encourage higher birth rates, including monthly subsidies for families with two or more children and housing benefits for these families [2] - As of March 2025, 19,260 individuals in Harbin have received a total of 225 million yuan in subsidies, although the impact on birth rates has been minimal, with only a slight increase in births from 33,000 in 2022 to 35,000 in 2024 [3] - The article emphasizes that improving birth rates is a complex issue that requires comprehensive efforts, particularly in the northeastern region of China [3]

Group 1: Population and Birth Rate Issues in Heilongjiang - Heilongjiang has been experiencing a continuous decline in its resident population since 2011, with a decrease from 38.33 million in 2010 to 30.29 million in 2024, totaling over 8 million lost residents in 14 years [1] - The province has the lowest birth rate in the country at 2.92‰ in 2023, marking a historical low, and a natural population growth rate of -6.92‰, the worst in the nation [2] - The elderly population (60 years and above) in Heilongjiang reached 8.35 million, accounting for 27.3% of the total population, which is 6.2 percentage points higher than the national average [2] Group 2: Policy Initiatives to Encourage Birth Rates - The Heilongjiang provincial government has introduced 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] - In Harbin, the birth rate showed a slight increase from 3.6‰ in 2022 to 3.7‰ in 2024, despite the implementation of these supportive measures [3] Group 3: Successful Case Study from Tianmen City - Tianmen City has implemented effective policies to boost birth rates, including a set of "seven opinions" and the use of combined rewards and subsidies, resulting in a 17% increase in births in 2024 compared to the previous year [1] - The Tianmen experience serves as a model for Heilongjiang to explore potential solutions to its demographic challenges [1]