Punishment to prize: China offers cash for having babies after decades of strict birth control, but young people aren’t interested

China, grappling with a declining population and record-low birth rates, is now offering financial incentives to encourage childbirth, a stark contrast to its previous one-child policy. Despite cash subsidies, tax breaks, and other perks, young Chinese citizens remain hesitant due to high living costs, career pressures, and changing social values.