Provincial governments urge companies to offer women more flexible jobs. So-called „mommy jobs“ aim to make it easier for mothers to balance work and childcare – thus encouraging them to have more children. This was reported by the state news agency Xinhua. China’s population shrank for the second time in a row in 2023, with the birth rate reaching a record low. According to Xinhua, many mothers stayed out of the labor market for more than three years – until their children were old enough to go to daycare.