Hong Kong authorities have rolled out 11 new initiatives to encourage residents to have children, including an expanded cash bonus scheme and a reduced down payment for subsidised housing for parents with newborns.
In the latest policy address delivered on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that the HK$20,000 (US$2,550) newborn bonus scheme, expiring on October 24, would be extended for another three years.
He added that the cash bonus for second and subsequent children would increase to HK$30,000, while the tax allowance for such children would also rise from HK$140,000 to HK$160,000.
“The current-term government has shifted from a non-interventionist approach to actively promoting fertility, working to create a conducive environment for childbearing,” he said.