Hong Kong’s HK$30,000 bonus for second child among 11 new measures to boost births

Hong Kong authorities have rolled out 11 new initiatives to encourage residents to have children, including an expanded cash bonus scheme and a reduced down payment for subsidised housing for parents with newborns.In the latest policy address delivered on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced that the HK$20,000 (US$2,550) newborn bonus scheme, expiring on October 24, would be extended for another three years.He added that the cash bonus for second and subsequent children would increase to HK$30,000, while the tax allowance for such children would also rise from HK$140,000 to HK$160,000.“The current-term government has shifted from a non-interventionist approach to actively promoting fertility, working to create a conducive environment for childbearing,” he said.