HONG KONG: China is urging colleges and universities to provide “love education” to emphasise positive views on marriage, love, fertility and family, in a bid to boost the country’s flagging birth rate.

Beijing has been promoting various measures to try to make having children more attractive to young couples after China posted a second consecutive year of population decline in 2023.

China has the second-biggest population in the world at 1.4 billion, but it is ageing quickly, which will increase the demands on government spending in the future and put pressure on the economy.

College students will be the biggest driver of fertility but they have significantly changed their views on marriage and love, the Jiangsu Xinhua newspaper group said, citing China Population News, an official publication.

“Colleges and universities should assume the responsibility of providing marriage and love education to college students by offering marriage and love education courses,” the publication said.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2024