‘Put down books, fall in love’: Chinese university urges students to romance during spring holiday amid birth rate crisis
Sichuan Southwest Aviation Vocational School announced on its official WeChat account that the spring holidays from April 1 to 6 will carry the theme of “See the flowers and enjoy romance”. In the announcement published on Tuesday, students and teachers were called to put down their books and enjoy the holiday.
Chinese Spring Break Notice to Students
The directive follows China’s recent announcement to introduce spring and autumn holidays for schools in addition to the existing summer and winter holidays. Sichuan and eastern Jiangsu, as well as cities such as Suzhou and Nanjing, have also announced spring break plans, most planned for April or early May. Officials also said they would encourage staggered paid leave for workers to facilitate off-peak travel and boost domestic consumption among the country’s 1.4 billion population.
China’s Population Decline Directs Its Policies
Experts state that in 2025, China’s population will decline for the fourth consecutive time and the birth rate will drop to a record low. Experts warn that this decline will continue. On Tuesday, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) released a guideline to promote child-friendly development. The announcement called for coordinated efforts to create “kid-friendly cities” by improving public services in education, healthcare, travel, sports and recreation, according to Reuters.
Expert Calls for Broader Support
James Liang, co-founder of Chinese travel company Trip.com and a leading demographic expert, told Reuters that society needs enough time and money to raise children. He called for more initiatives and greater efforts to educate young people about the social and personal benefits of raising larger families. Liang added that the government could create a broader support framework by reallocating resources and increasing financial aid.
(With input from Reuters)
