China's family planning policy is back in the spotlight. Guangdong, the country's most populous province according to the latest population census, has officially applied to the Central Government for permission for it lifting family planning restrictions. If the application is approved, couples in which either the husband or wife is an only child will be allowed to have a second child, according to Zhang Feng, family planning chief in Guangdong.

Actually proposals on easing the one-child policy were made by deputies to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, and members of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body, at their annual sessions this year. Wang Yuqing, Deputy Director of the CPPCC Committee for Population, Resources and Environment, said China may adjust its family planning policy at the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) period. This move comes in response to the concerns about problems caused by China's aging population and the end of demographic dividend.

The one-child policy was introduced in the 1980s to curb the nation's rapid population growth. However, it has become increasingly unpopular as the country's population is aging. Currently, only couples from a few select groups are allowed to have a second child, such as those in rural areas, whose first born is a girl, and those from ethnic minority groups.  Families, in which both parents are only children, or where the first offspring is disabled, may also have a second child.

The ongoing public debate surrounds whether adjusting the current policy can negate the aging population or if China's reality proves its population still needs to be regulated by the one-child policy.

FOR

Liu Peng

iqilu.com

I agree the one-child policy should be abolished. Facts show that the pace of population growth is slowing after three decades of family planning. Big cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, are even experiencing declining birth rates, partly due to the improvement of living conditions and changes of people's attitude toward rearing children. When people reach consensus that having fewer children will improve the living standard, it will eventually be unnecessary for the government to continue the compulsory family planning policy. At that time, population growth will be regulated by its own rules.

Moreover, China's population is becoming an aging one and the inadequate pension system means the families have added burden of supporting their senior members. It is therefore necessary to abolish the one-child policy.

Zhang Lei

University student in Beijing

Lifting restrictions on having a second child is a precautionary measure to deal with the potential challenge for the country's future development.

As is seen in recent media reports, China is experiencing another wave of predominantly single people, especially single women. Staying single means women won't give birth to children. The direct consequence of this phenomenon of less newborn children, as is shown in the latest population census, is that the workforce between 18 and 35 will drastically decrease in the long run. This will result in weakening the potential of the country's economic development, as is proved by the situation in some Western countries. In view of this, China should allow bigger families.

Xu Mingming

Mother of a five-year-old girl

From the perspective of creating a sounder growing environment, I think people should be allowed to have a second child.

As an only child in my family, I suffered from loneliness during my childhood. I was always looking forward to sharing my happiness and sorrow with a brother or a sister.

It is also proved that a child who has sisters or brothers is more tolerant and considerate to others, while some single children tend to be spoiled, selfish, lazy, and unwilling to bear hardship. Although I am not saying having a second child will solve these problems, it will, at least, make it easier to develop a child's personality in such a family. 

AGAINST

Shi Shusi

Media commentator

The original intention of implementing the family planning policy was to solve aggravating conflicts between a rapidly growing population and less developed economy, plus limited social resources. After more than three decades of development, though enjoying rapid economic growth, the country is still facing the problem of lack of resources to support its huge population. So it is not a good time to abolish the one-child policy.

I also don't think we will see the end of demographic dividend a reason given by people who advocate changing the current family planning policy. The frequently reported labor shortage in recent years is an inevitable result while China's economy is changing from a labor-intensive to a techonology-intensive one. Some experts' prediction that China will lose its labor force advantage is based on the assumption that China's economy will stop progressing. But the world is witnessing a booming Chinese economy. The country's future economy demands a more skilled workforce not a bigger workforce.

Cheng Enfu

Professor with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

In view of the reality that China has such a large population, I still maintain that the family planning policy should be continued. A vast population and relatively inadequate resources per capita are still the most prominent challenges nowadays.

Admittedly, population growth can be regulated by its own rules, but this is not the case in China. Although China's total GDP ranks second in the world, its per-capita GDP ranks around No.100 for some time. One reason for this is the huge population. It is estimated that the annual newborn population exceeds 7 million in China, while the total population in Australia is only about 20 million. In such a populous country, the family planning policy can only be changed when living conditions of the majority are improved.

Yang Lijun

Young man going to get married

I don't think easing the family planning policy is a good idea. In a modern society, competition is so fierce and people's living costs soar every year. Even raising one baby is a great burden to us young people, not to mention two.

In addition, more people mean fiercer competition. In the future when the second child grows up, they will face similar pressures as our generation, having difficulty in finding jobs, competing for a hospital bed to give birth and then battling to find a kindergarten vacancy.