Bringing up baby costly enough
Source: Agencies |
April 29, 2011, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FOR many Beijing parents, debate about China's "one-child" policy is far less pressing than the task at hand - how to afford to bring up just one.
China's census shows more old people and fewer young people to pay for them, the result of three decades of policies aimed at slowing population growth.
While the government enforces the policy unevenly these days - urban couples who are single children are permitted two of their own, for example - policy-makers have shown no intention of abandoning it.
Yet as costs rise, the question for many is not whether they want another child but whether they can afford it.
"I can't even get this one into kindergarten," said Li Tong, 29, out walking with her three-year-old son in Beijing.
"Education is a real concern for us. I have many friends who don't want children at all. One is enough for me," Li said.
Like people in Hong Kong and Singapore, which have among the world's lowest birthrates, Chinese mainland urbanites are starting to believe the expense of larger families outweighs the benefits.
Wang Gui, 35, the father of a four-year-old boy, said: "We actually would like another, and according to current rules we can."
But Wang, who works for one of China's state-owned oil giants, added: "I think the cost would be prohibitive. It's too much pressure to expect us to cope with. I do think the policy should remain, however. Those people in the countryside would just pop out babies left, right and center if given a chance, and we as a country don't have the necessary resources."
Zheng Xing, 26, said: "China has too many people, we have too much pressure on housing and transport. I will have only one child. I cannot afford a second financially. Inflation is so high, everything is expensive and income is limited."
"It should be up to the individual to decide. It's no business of the government's," said Wang Hui, as she chased her daughter in front of a mall. "I don't want her to be lonely growing up."
Dorris Ma said she could not wait to have another child. "I want to have a second child if policies allow. One family one child - that's not good for the psychological development of the child."
China's census shows more old people and fewer young people to pay for them, the result of three decades of policies aimed at slowing population growth.
While the government enforces the policy unevenly these days - urban couples who are single children are permitted two of their own, for example - policy-makers have shown no intention of abandoning it.
Yet as costs rise, the question for many is not whether they want another child but whether they can afford it.
"I can't even get this one into kindergarten," said Li Tong, 29, out walking with her three-year-old son in Beijing.
"Education is a real concern for us. I have many friends who don't want children at all. One is enough for me," Li said.
Like people in Hong Kong and Singapore, which have among the world's lowest birthrates, Chinese mainland urbanites are starting to believe the expense of larger families outweighs the benefits.
Wang Gui, 35, the father of a four-year-old boy, said: "We actually would like another, and according to current rules we can."
But Wang, who works for one of China's state-owned oil giants, added: "I think the cost would be prohibitive. It's too much pressure to expect us to cope with. I do think the policy should remain, however. Those people in the countryside would just pop out babies left, right and center if given a chance, and we as a country don't have the necessary resources."
Zheng Xing, 26, said: "China has too many people, we have too much pressure on housing and transport. I will have only one child. I cannot afford a second financially. Inflation is so high, everything is expensive and income is limited."
"It should be up to the individual to decide. It's no business of the government's," said Wang Hui, as she chased her daughter in front of a mall. "I don't want her to be lonely growing up."
Dorris Ma said she could not wait to have another child. "I want to have a second child if policies allow. One family one child - that's not good for the psychological development of the child."
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