China scraps contraceptive tax break to counter falling birth rates

HONG KONG: China has begun taxing contraceptive drugs and devices from the start of 2026, ending a tax exemption that had been in place for more than three decades as authorities intensify efforts to reverse the country's long-running decline in births.

From January 1, condoms and contraceptive pills are subject to a 13 percent value-added tax, the standard rate applied to most consumer goods, according to the n