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(NewsNation<\/a>) \u2014 China\u2019s government<\/a> is set to impose a value-added tax on contraceptives, including condoms, for the first time in three decades as the country attempts to reverse declining birth rates.<\/p>\n Under the revised tax law, consumers will have to pay a 13% levy on contraceptive drugs and devices for the first time since 1993, as reported by Bloomberg<\/a>. It will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026.<\/p>\n China\u2019s population, the second-largest in the world, has shrunk for three consecutive years, with 9.54 million births in 2024, only half of the 18.8 million registered a decade ago when the country\u2019s one-child policy was lifted.<\/p>\n China\u2019s Xi and France\u2019s Macron pledge cooperation on global crises and trade <\/a><\/p>\n The shift in tax policy comes as China\u2019s government seeks to mitigate the economic downsides of an aging and shrinking population. The revision also includes the removal of value-added tax<\/a> on childcare services, elder-care institutions and marriage-related services to further promote family creation.<\/p>\n HIV has been on the rise in China<\/a>, and critics of the tax policy worry the increase in contraception price could lead to riskier sex practices and cause STD rates to skyrocket.<\/p>\n Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.<\/i><\/p>\n For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n