China is taking an unexpected new step in its fight against declining birth rates: imposing a value-added tax on contraceptives, including condoms, for the first time in more than 30 years.
The move marks a dramatic reversal for a country that once aggressively promoted birth control under its one-child policy. With the population shrinking for a third consecutive year and births in 2024 falling to just 9.54 million, Beijing is now prioritising measures to encourage childbirth.
