China Starts Taxing Condoms to Boost Birth Rates — And the Internet Is Furious

A controversial move sparks backlash as experts question its real impact.

China has ended a long-standing tax exemption on contraceptives, including condoms and birth control pills, as the government intensifies efforts to reverse a sustained decline in population growth. Starting January 1, these products are now subject to a 13% value-added tax, marking a sharp shift from policies introduced during the one-child era.

The move comes as China recorded just 9.54 million births in 2024—roughly half the number from a decade earlier. The country has now experienced three consecutive years of population decline, raising alarms in Beijing over the economic consequences of an aging society and a shrinking workforce.

Officials argue the policy aligns with broader pronatalist measures, including extended parental leave, childcare subsidies, and relaxed marriage rules. However, critics say taxing contraceptives ignores the real reasons many young Chinese avoid having children, such as soaring housing costs and work-life imbalance.

Experts warn the measure is unlikely to significantly impact birth rates. Demographers note that financial and social pressures of raising children remain the biggest deterrents—prompting widespread online criticism and ridicule of the policy.