Governance Factors Influencing Fertility Intentions: Empirical Studies at the County Level in China

People's fertility intentions are related to the high sex ratio at birth (SRB) in countries and regions where son-preference is the norm. The male-biased SRB in China has had some important social consequences, such as the lack of females and the male marriage squeeze, which are likely to have serious repercussions for China's social and public safety. In order to solve the problem of gender imbalance, the Chinese government implemented a series of policies to intervene in people's fertility intentions. The objective is that by changing people's son-preference, the sex ratio at birth will be reduced, and ultimately China will achieve the goal of gender equality. This article mainly concerns empirical research on intervention in people's fertility intentions by the Chinese government, which has been carried out at the county level. By adopting a multi-method approach, this paper examines the relationship between gender imbalance governance factors and people's fertility intentions at the county level in Shaanxi province. We explore how the governance at the county level affects people's fertility intentions in China.