Several regions in China have extended maternity leave by at least 30 days to incentivise women to have more children amid a steep decline in the country’s birth rates and an ageing population.

The Chinese authorities are hoping that the move will lead to an increase in the number of births after rates fell to 8.52 births per 1,000 people in 2020, its lowest level in 40 years. China’s National Bureau of Statistics revealed that 12 million babies were born last year – a significant decrease from the 18 million newborns in 2016.