BEIJING, China – The most populated country in the world, China, said it would keep its controversial family-planning policies for at least another decade.  The announcement refutes speculation that officials were contemplating adjustments to compensate for mounting demographic pressures.  Zhang Weiqing, minister of China’s State Population and Family Planning Commission, told China’s state-run China Daily newspaper that abandoning the policies at this point would cause “serious problems,” put a strain on economic development, and cause more problems than it would solve.

One-Child policy, one of the world’s strictest population control policies, launched during the late 1970s, has prevented an additional 400 million births.  Most urban couples are limited to a single child, while farmers are often allowed to have two.  Critics say the policy has led to numerous abuses, including forced abortions and sterilizations, which continue in some areas.

Giving a rapidly aging society in China, demographers commented that a lower birthrate may actually lead to social difficulties because there will be fewer young working adults to pay taxes and look after the elderly.  Already, factories have reported shortages of young workers in recent years. At the same time, the one-child policy is considered a contributing factor to a gender imbalance that has raised concerns that there may be too few females in the future.

For more information, please see:

CNN – China to keep one-child policy – 10 March 2008

New York Times – China Sticking With One-Child Policy – 11 March 2008

Wall Street Journal – China to Retain Its One-Child Policy – 11 March 2008