China spent $14.5b to help families raise children last year: health minister

China spent more than 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion) last year on child rearing subsidies, marking a significant financial commitment to support families with young children, Lei Haichao, minister of the National Health Commission, said on Saturday.

The central government contributed over 90 billion yuan to the program, while local governments contributed 10 billion yuan, Lei told a news conference during the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, the country's top legislature.

"The subsidy is available for children born after Jan 1, 2022," he said, noting it equates to an annual payment of 10,800 yuan per eligible infant. He added that since last year, 33 million families have received the payments.

"The moment a child is born, they bring their own ration, their own 'salary'," he said, paraphrasing the public's description of the policy. "The financial support represents a tangible commitment to people's livelihoods," he added.

Beyond direct payments, Lei highlighted progress in child care services, noting that 890,000 affordable and reliable nursery placements were added last year, bringing the national total to more than 6.6 million.

"The measures are part of broader efforts to support high-quality population development," he said.