this post was submitted on 18 Dec 2025
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From 1 January, contraceptives will be subject to a 13% VAT rate – part of a carrot-and-stick approach by the government to increase births

China is set to impose a value-added tax (VAT) on condoms and other contraceptives for the first time in three decades, as the country tries to boost its birthrate and modernise its tax laws.

From 1 January, condoms and contraceptives will be subject to a 13% VAT rate – a tax from which the goods have been exempt since China introduced nationwide VAT in 1993.

The measure was buried in a VAT law passed in 2024 in an effort to modernise China’s tax regime. VAT accounts for nearly 40% of China’s total tax revenue.

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[–] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 78 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's... Oh my God. That is such a bad idea, for so many reasons. But I think if the point is to expand your population, specifically the poorest and most uneducated, it hits the mark.

Oh no... That is the point, isn't it?

[–] JcbAzPx@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

The future ruling classes are going to need serfs.

[–] qualia@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Yeah it's a great way to dilute the intelligence of a population while skewing voting toward more conservative representation. Half the US has similar values.

[–] CookieOfFortune@lemmy.world 57 points 2 days ago (19 children)

Humans have a natural drive to procreate (not just have sex), so if your population doesn’t want to have children, maybe look at what you’re doing to make them avoid this natural proclivity.

I’d argue the only real solution is a longer leave for both parents without affecting their careers. But it’s generally just not doable with their corporate culture.

[–] Corporal_Punishment@feddit.uk 39 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Leaders of all "developed" nations need to look at this.

Birth rates are plummeting, and its not because of some religious children of men scenario or plastics in our sperm.

People just don't want kids, and why would we? World is a shithole, everything costs too much and we are being constantly reminded that WW3 is just around the corner.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 15 points 2 days ago

china has significantly worst, because of the one child policy, which heavily skewed the results as well. prefer male offspring over female ones, leading to massive imbalance, and its still be preferred.

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[–] TheLunatickle@lemmy.zip 37 points 2 days ago (2 children)
[–] psx_crab@lemmy.zip 14 points 2 days ago

HIV: It's free real estate

[–] arin@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago

Time to buy metal coat hanger manufacturing stonks

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 31 points 2 days ago

Coming up next: China's STD epidemic and what can we do about it?

[–] eleijeep@piefed.social 28 points 2 days ago

Because children are widely known as being very inexpensive to raise.

How much is the tax going to be? $20,000 per year?

[–] sircac@lemmy.world 26 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That's how you get surges of STDs among other awful things...

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

how dare you speak ill of China! CHINA IS THE BEST!

CHINA IS A NUMBER 1!

/s

[–] Ageroth@reddthat.com 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

I can't believe this was 10 years ago.

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 26 points 2 days ago (1 children)

China is run by morons. Restricting people to 1 child for decades was idiotic and this is nearly as stupid.

[–] fluxx@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This is even more stupid. Even if you succeeded in making people have more unprotected sex, if people don't want it, you're still gonna have a bad time. The children who are born unwanted aren't going to have as good of life as those wanted for many reasons. At least 1 child who was born previously got more resources and had better chances. Though both are stupid decisions, I agree. This one even more. And another reason - you hopefully see you've made a stupid decision in the past and should have not meddled with organic needs of people in such an extreme way. So then OBVIOUSLY, the solution is to double down, but in the opposite way. /s

[–] xep@discuss.online 20 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I'm no expert but this really doesn't seem like the right solve for falling birth rates.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 9 points 2 days ago

they tried nothing and they are all out of ideas, its not unique to china either. they are tyring to avoid discussing the actual causes.

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 2 points 2 days ago

It's not a problem to be solved. It's something to be adapted to.

[–] captainlezbian@lemmy.world 19 points 1 day ago

I can't imagine people who can't afford moderately more expensive condoms can afford another child. I do suspect however that they can afford to spread venereal disease

[–] EndlessNightmare@reddthat.com 18 points 2 days ago

So you're saying that I was right to express concerns in the recent post about China covering childbirth expenses, and that it wouldn't stop there?

Original comment:

As long as people who don’t want to have children aren’t pressured. Not everyone is interested in parenting, and that needs to be accepted.

Well, that didn't take long. The other post was earlier this week.

[–] Railcar8095@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

I'm guessing the stance of the CCP on abortion is going from not good to dystopian.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 13 points 2 days ago

Please tell me that nobody would give up condoms over a 13% price hike.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

and not because of the generations of damage the one-child policy caused after it ended, and the HCOl,a nd the lack of job prospects for the over-degree'd holders that graduated plus the recent evergrande situation. instead they do this or use the invade taiwan rhetoric.

plus the increasing bitterness towards, china for trying to lure scientists/professionals from the usa to thier industries.

[–] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 day ago

Yeah, that'll change the behavior of all the people who think it's cheaper to have and raise a kid than pay another nickel everytime they use a condom.

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