Fertility Support under the New Adjustment of Family Planning Policy in China: Legal and Policy Perspectives

Abstract The family planning policy has gone through a legalization process from the one-child policy that restricts fertility, to the two-child policy that relaxes fertility, and then to the three-child policy that supports fertility. With these new adjustments, China has attached more importance to the legal and policy protection of fertility support and achieved new developments in support of marriage, finances, service, time, employment, and education. The protection focuses more on women, and highly values reducing the cost of childbearing. The protection methods have gradually changed from restriction to motivation. However, the current issues regarding the legal and policy protection of fertility support must be taken seriously, particularly in the promotion of marriage at an appropriate age, protection of reproductive rights and interests, system construction of childcare subsidies and childcare services, and employment support for women. Recommendations are put forward to improve the fertility support system and build a fertility-friendly culture.