No divorce for couple in spat over 2nd child
Print Edition
A man who wanted a divorce because his wife wouldn’t agree to have a second child has had his request denied.
After hearing Shanghai’s first divorce case related to the new family planning policy, which allows more couples to have a second child, Minhang District People’s Court said the only reason to grant the request would be if the relationship between the couple had completely broken down.
The couple, whose names were not released, married in 2003 and had a daughter the next year. They decided to live separately when the girl was old enough to go to school as the wife’s parents lived close to the school.
When her husband said he and his parents wanted a second baby last year, the wife at first agreed but there were arguments when she later said she wouldn’t move back to live with him.
The husband filed for divorce on the grounds that his wife was reluctant to have a second child and longtime separation had destroyed their relationship. He also saw his wife’s reluctance as disrespecting his parents who had been eagerly anticipating a second grandchild. He also asked the court to grant him custody of the daughter.
During mediation organized by the court, the wife said she dedicated her life to taking care of her daughter and couldn’t look after another. She said she was sorry she failed to meet the expectations of her husband and his parents.
The court said a second baby shouldn’t be a factor affecting the couple’s relationship and asked the two sides to consider the matter “more carefully.”
The court said the husband’s wish for a second child was to have a better family, while the wife’s reluctance was to ensure their daughter’s better growth. Because both were thinking of a better family, any conflict could be overcome.
Shanghai relaxed the one-child policy on March 1, allowing local couples with just one spouse who is an only child to have a second child.
Since then, about 1,730 couples have been granted approval to have a second child.
There were no details of how many couples in Shanghai had applied, but Zhang Meixing of the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission said the desire among local couples to have a second child was “not strong.”
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