(Bloomberg) — A well-known Chinese economist has been banned from social media platform Weibo days after posting comments calling on the central bank to print $315 billion a year for subsidies to encourage births.
Ren Zeping, who left troubled property developer China Evergrande Group last year, has “violated relevant laws and regulations,” according to a notice on Weibo. It didn’t say why he was banned, and a spokesperson for the social media platform didn’t immediately reply to questions seeking clarity.
Ren drew attention with his proposal that the People’s Bank of China print 2 trillion yuan each year in the coming decade, which he said the government can then use as funding to provide subsidies to boost births and build nurseries. He estimated the plan could increase the number of babies by 50 million in the next 10 years without adding to the burdens of households, companies and local governments.
Two of his articles posted on social media and messaging platform WeChat on Jan. 10 and 11 were removed because of violation of rules, according to notices on the platform.
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China’s birthrate plunged to a new low in 2020 and has unlikely improved even though the government has relaxed birth restrictions. Some demographers predict that the population may have already started shrinking.
Ren said those born between 1975 and 1985 should be encouraged to have more babies since they come from a generation that still view children as desirable. Those born after 1990 are reluctant to even get married, he said.
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