Exploring the Optimization Path of China's Fertility Support Policies in the Context of Three-child Policy: The Reference and Inspiration based on the Experience of Developed Countries

Abstract

At present, China is facing the dual challenges of aging and childlessness, and improving the existing fertility support policy has become a key task to enhance the national fertility intention and fertility rate, and to promote the optimization of the demographic structure. This paper analyzes the problems and deficiencies of China's fertility support policy by systematically combing the fertility support policies of China with those of developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Sweden in terms of economic support, time guarantee, in-kind assistance, service provision, and employment promotion. Based on the full consideration of China's national conditions, this paper draws on and summarizes the advanced experiences of developed countries and suggests that in the future, China should further expand the rights and benefits of parental maternity leave, establish a sound system of early childhood childcare services, increase the strength of the support for family childbearing, and effectively safeguard women's equal rights and benefits in employment, with a view to further perfecting and optimizing the system of maternity support policies.