Singapore’s Prime Minister Urges Citizens to Have More Babies During Year of the Dragon

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong urged young couples to have more babies as the city state battles with a declining birth rate.

“Now is as good a time as any for young couples to add a ‘little dragon’ to your family,” the premier said in his annual Lunar New Year message. The lunar year of the dragon starts Feb. 10.

Read More: Why the Dragon Is a Big Deal in Chinese Culture

The dragon is a “symbol of power, strength and good fortune,” Lee said, while acknowledging that having a baby is a personal decision.

Singapore eased egg freezing rules and doubled government-paid paternity leave to four weeks after its birth rate dropped to a record low of 1.05 babies per woman in 2022. Countries including South Korea, China and Japan have also been battling falling fertility rates and an aging population.