China holds survey to understand 'fear of having children'

China's National Health Commission is surveying 30,000 people to understand factors influencing their attitudes towards childbearing and the "fear surrounding having children", as authorities struggle to boost a flagging birthrate. The survey will include people from 150 counties and 1,500 different communities, state-backed Global Times said Thursday. Beijing is trying to encourage young couples to have children after China posted a second consecutive year of population decline in 2023.