Also see the companion question: Will China ban abortion and contraception before 2051?

In 1980, the government of China implemented the one-child policy in an effort to curb overpopulation. The policy worked perhaps too well for the government's liking, as in August 2021 all fines were removed and Chinese couples were permitted to have as many children as they liked. The reason for this is China's total fertility rate falling to 1.08 in 2022.

A prominent health official in Beijing has called for "bold steps" to reverse this trend. The New York Times has begun speculating on how the Chinese government might reverse the trend as well. China's human rights abuses against the Uyghurs might suggest a willingness to commit atrocities to further state goals.