China has imposed a 13% tax on condoms sold in the country since January 1 as part of a policy to respond to declining overall fertility. In addition, couples can claim a cash payment of 3,600 yuan (about US$500) per year for each child under the age of 3. These measures are aimed at reversing the decline in the total fertility rate (TFR), which expresses the average number of children a woman can expect in her lifetime. China is among more than half of the countries in the world where the TFR is lower than 2.1 births per woman. The value of 2.1 births per woman is reported as the level necessary to maintain a stable population in the long term. Policies are therefore aimed at promoting higher birth rates in the context of globally declining fertility rates.