Incentives, expectations and reality: Will China’s new push to boost birth rates deliver results?

Experts cautioned against policies in China’s circumstance, which might have faced the same problems as those in South Korea and Japan, where declining delivery and fecundity rates have not been reversible. &nbsp,

The Chinese government has already done what the Taiwanese government intends to do, according to Dr. Yi. ” China’s newly-introduced policies have been largely economic ( in ) trying to reduce the cost of childcare for families”.

” Japan’s strategy has proved costly and inefficient, only briefly boosting fertility costs”.

Dr Gietel-Basten cited South Korea’s continued fertility problems and warned against adopting a strictly “pronatalist” method, referring to laws designed with the purpose of increasing the delivery rate.

What has changed about Korea’s reproduction level? It just keeps going down and down and over”, he said, noting that, despite plan opportunities, the underlying problems often remain unanswered. &nbsp,

” I believe we must take fresh people’s issues into consideration and incorporate them into the decision-making process.”

WHAT OTHER CANINA Accomplish? &nbsp,

A number of family planning policies, including pregnancy plan, expanded care, and tax deductions for families, were unveiled by China’s State Council in an official statement on October 19.

Some local administrations have also used targeted opportunities to go further. If the wedding is younger than 35 and registers her second marriage in Luliang, Shanxi province, financial incentives of up to 1,500 Yuan may be given to newlyweds who register their first wedding.

With beautiful locations and setting off for the event in gorgeous parks, beaches, and historical landmarks, marriage registrations have also been simplified and yet glamorized, making it easier for couples to enjoy the occasion. &nbsp,

Despite these initiatives and guidelines, some Chinese ladies still have reservations about changing their lifestyle priorities. &nbsp,

Mr Ya Nan, a working and married 29-year-old from Hangzhou, has grown extremely frustrated with societal expectations. ” To me, wedding is basically relationship and it’s for passion. It might not have anything to do with having children”, she told CNA. &nbsp,

” If I want to own children, I did. If I do n’t, I wo n’t. I do n’t pay attention to policies, only to what I truly feel”, she said. ” Just because I now have the legal right to bear children does n’t mean that’s my purpose” .&nbsp,

Instead of rushing to adopt a child out of fear of being pressured by society,” Can’t I wait until I really want one before doing so?”

She even made the point that many people in her city were unable to overcome the system because of her work for a foreign corporation. ” Currently, maternity benefits are n’t even given directly to us ( mothers ), they go to the company”, Ms Ya said. &nbsp,

” In Zhejiang, we simply get one pay: either the pregnancy benefit or six times ‘ salary—whichever is higher, paid by the business”, she said. &nbsp,

” Compared to our acquaintances in Dalian and Shanghai, we end up receiving about 100, 000 yuan less”.

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Singapore and China sign 25 agreements at annual top-level bilateral meeting to boost cooperation

STRENGTHENING FINANCIAL Participation

With a number of green finance and money markets initiatives, bilateral economic cooperation will grow.

One tie-up between the central banks of China and Singapore aims to spur natural funding flows. By the end of this year, the Monetary Authority of Singapore announced in a press release on Monday that the practice would be finished.

This will make cross-border alternative loans, natural bond issuance, and account investments easier to compare the natural taxonomies of Singapore and China.

In an effort to expand the exposure to China’s bond market for foreign shareholders, MAS and the People’s Bank of China are even conducting a pilot project with the banks of both nations. It will utilize the existing “over-the-counter” bond business model in China.

Other projects include expanding the range of products on the Shenzhen and Shanghai bourses ‘ Exchange Traded Funds ( ETF ) Product Links, as well as facilitating financial institutions’ access to the Singapore and China markets.

FACILITATING Business AND Opportunities

In trade, Singapore and China reiterated their commitment to the China-Singapore Free Trade Agreement ( CSFTA ) Further Upgrade Protocol, which is set to enter into force on Dec 31, 2024, said Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry ( MTI ) in a separate press release.

China’s primary extensive diplomatic free trade agreement with an Asian nation is the CSFTA. It became effective in 2009, and the most recent prepared improvements were unveiled at JCBC last year.

According to MTI, Singapore investors and service providers can anticipate “more democratic and open rules” that will allow them to conduct business with China.

The government added that Singaporean businesses will also gain greater access to China’s economy through a “negative listing” strategy, which means that all industries are automatically opened to investors except those that are exclusively listed.

” Importantly, China commits to not limiting foreign ownership restrictions for Singapore buyers in 22 areas such as design, shopping &amp, wholesale, and architectural &amp, urban planning service”, MTI said.

The Belt and Road Initiative is being promoted in a second deal. It aims to strengthen Singapore and China’s cooperation in places such as policy cooperation, network connectivity, bilateral deal and people-to-people markets.

“( This ) will provide clearer policy guidance for the next phase of high-quality Belt and Road development, further promoting the joint growth of China, Singapore, and regional countries”, said Mr Ding.

Since 2013, Singapore has been China’s largest foreign investment in terms of purchase travels, and China has been Singapore’s largest goods trading partner. Bilateral deal in 2023 amounted to US$ 108.39 billion, according to China’s international government.

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China’s Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang to visit Singapore from Nov 10-11 for top-level bilateral meeting

The 20th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC ) meeting, which is the apex platform for China’s vice-premier Ding Xuexiang, will take place from Sunday ( Nov. 10 ) until Monday ( Nov. 2 ).

The annual diplomatic appointment, which reviews the effectiveness of Singapore’s cooperation with China and charts the way of assistance, is co-chaired by him and Singapore’s deputy prime minister and minister for trade and industry, Gan Kim Yong.

They will also co-chair the 25th Suzhou Industrial Park Joint Steering Council ( JSC), the 16th Tianjin Eco-City JSC, and the 8th China-Singapore ( Chongqing ) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity JSC meetings.

The JCBC will continue to chart the forward-looking cooperation between both sides, Singapore’s Prime Minister’s Office ( PMO ) said in a press statement on Saturday ( Nov 9 ).

” The JSCs will review the progress made on the three lineup government-to-government jobs and explain ways to further expand their advancement”, PMO added.

These three jobs are the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park, Tianjin Eco-City and the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative. &nbsp,

Mr. Ding may make his second trip to Singapore as evil premier and co-chair. However, it will be the first time that Mr Gan is co-chairing the diplomatic meeting, which is held periodically in Singapore and China.

Twenty-four deals were signed at last week’s JCBC meeting in Tianjin, covering areas such as ecology, training, industry, food safety and healthcare.

According to PMO, Mr. Gan will host a delightful dinner on Sunday in addition to a bilateral meeting with Mr. Ding.

Mr. Ding may speak with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam during his two-day attend. Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Teo Chee Hean, may also serve as the evil top of China.

In addition, Mr. Ding and Mr. Gan will take part in a tree-planting meeting at the Singapore Botanic Gardens to honor the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park’s 30th celebration.

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US President-elect Trump’s ‘America First’ policy will impact global trade in Asia, say analysts

Holmes said that Trump’s economic policies will help to strengthen the dollar and could prompt the US Federal Reserve to prevent cutting interest rates or at least halt its easing cycle.

“That’s going to hurt places where they’re especially concerned about their forex- Indonesia, for instance. ( In ) Japan, the yen has sold off amongst a strong dollar, ” he said.

In South Asia, places like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Island may be affected, but India will likely be spared, he added.

“India seems to be somewhat isolated. It appears to have good relations with Trump, and its GDP ( gross domestic product ) is not significantly impacted by additional business. ”

RELATIONS WITH CHINA

As for US-China relations, Assoc Prof Chong said it depends on what Beijing meant when it called for a “peaceful co-existence ” following Trump’s victory.

They previously proposed that the US influence extends to Guam and other places in the Pacific, and that Beijing should have some sort of influence over everything two points west, ” he said.

It is up to Trump and the other players in the area to decide how they want to live together, deal with, or deal with a prospective situation in such a way. ”

Additionally, according to Assoc Prof. Chong, the world today is much more protectionist than in the beginning of Trump, with China being more concerned with preserving and growing its own business.

He added: “( In ) 2016, there was a lot more trust that China- and even Europe- would be more available to trade, to economic liberalisation. That has now established that it is not the situation.

Asia is today, in some ways, much less cozy than it was in 2016. ”

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Philippines says joint maritime exercises rein in China

MANILA: &nbsp, Joint naval exercises held frequently by the Philippines, United States and other Western powers are helping rein in “aggressive” Chinese actions in the South China Sea, a Filipino military official said on Wednesday ( Nov 6 ). Beijing has long sought to increase its appearance in the contestedContinue Reading