Kathmandu. Chinese students have been advised to “fall in love” during spring break.
The Sichuan Southwest Vocational College of Aviation, a Chinese university, has advised students to “enjoy the flowers and fall in love” during their mid-term holidays. This is a strange instruction in a country that wants to get good grades. That’s because authorities are looking for new ways to increase marriage and domestic consumption.
The college wrote on its official WeChat account, “The theme for spring break from April 1 to 6 is ‘Seeing the Flowers and Enjoying the Romance’. The notice asking teachers and students to keep their books on Tuesday comes nearly two weeks after China announced it would introduce spring and autumn school holidays in addition to the traditional summer and winter holiday periods.
Officials said they will also promote staggered paid leave to help employees travel during the off-peak season. Provinces such as Sichuan and eastern Jiangsu, as well as cities such as Suzhou and Nanjing, have announced plans for spring break. Most of them are scheduled for April or early May.
China wants to boost domestic consumption by promoting travel and leisure activities among its 1.4 billion population. Officials hope the free time will pave the way for a reversal of the alarming drop in the birth rate.
The population fell for the fourth year in a row after the birth rate fell sharply in 2025, and experts warn of further declines. The Beijing-based National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has also issued a guideline to promote child-friendly development. It calls for concerted efforts to create ‘child-friendly cities’ by improving public services in sectors ranging from education and health to travel, sport and entertainment.
James Liang, co-founder of Chinese travel giant Trip, said society should have enough time and money to raise children and called for more such initiatives. “More efforts are needed to educate young people about the social and personal benefits of having large families,” said Liang, a renowned demographer. The government can create a larger support structure by reallocating resources and increasing financial support. —Agency
