In 2025, China’s number of births was 7.92 million, and this figure has once again brought the topic of having children back into the public eye. Young people are not simply “unwilling to have children”; for many, it’s a matter of repeatedly weighing housing, education, childcare, career development, and caregiving time. Encouraging people to have children alone cannot eliminate the real concerns behind “not daring to have children.” Truly effective support should make the cost of raising a child predictable—so women do not face significant workplace penalties due to childbirth, and so fathers take on more parenting responsibilities. Ultimately, population issues are issues of life choices. What do you think most increases the willingness to have children: cash subsidies, childcare services, or more family-friendly workplace policies? #births_7.92_million