New population policy in China: «One family – two children»
Abstract
The article examines the distinctive features of China’s introduction and implementation of its new two-child policy, aimed at solving the demographic problems caused by 35 years of consistent execution of its one-child birth control campaign. It looks at the main demographic results of previous years, attitudes to having a second child, changes in birth control policy and the relationship of these changes with demographic indicators, as well as at certain features of the statistics provided by various departments of China on which population size and fertility indicators are based. It gives, based on the data of official statistics and population surveys in recent years, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of fertility and of the reproductive attitudes of modern society. Analysis of existing data taken from various sources makes it possible to note a steady decline in the total fertility rate, a decrease in natural population growth, a decrease in the desired and planned number of children in the family, and the proliferation in major cities of the country of voluntary renunciation of having children. Such trends suggest that the Chinese authorities are somewhat late with the liberalization of family planning policies. The article highlights the main factors that will influence the growth of China's population in the coming decades, and concludes that the country's population growth forecasts made by official departments of the People's Republic of China are too high.
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References
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