Home>News Center>China
       
 

Nouveaux riches challenge one-child policy
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-12-14 16:33

China's 'nouveaux riches' are not only competing with each to buy grandiose mansions and fast, expensive cars, their latest status symbol is a brood of children.

Quite a few of China's wealthy people are skirting China's one-child family policy by simply paying to have two or more children.


A woman shows her one-child certificate in Fuyang, Anhui Province in this November 14, 2005 photo. Some of nouveau riches choose to have their second or third child by paying a handsome amount of fine, challenging the country's basic policy on family planning. [newsphoto]
The one-child family policy was enacted in the 1970s to curb a huge population explosion. In 2002 the law was amended to allow ethnic minorities to have more than one child and peasants to have a second child if their first is a girl. The changes were never designed to allow city residents of have multiple babies.

The recent amendments imposed fines as a means to prevent families from giving birth to more than one child. However, affluent people are now simply paying the "social maintenance fee" for a second and subsequent child.

A Beijing newspaper says it's a throw back to old attitudes that equates large families with wealth, status and happiness.

Business tycoons and show biz celebrities are finding a number of ways of getting around the one-child family policy. Many simply pay the fine which can be as high as 150,000 yuan or about US$20,000 for urban dwellers or as low as 7,000 yuan or almost US$900 for rural residents. Some wealthy people are even emigrating abroad for the sole purpose of having a second or third child whom they bring back to raise in China.

A young millionaire named Yu is fairly typical of those seeking to spread their seed. He already has two daughters and a son and yet dreams of adding another baby boy.

"I respect China's traditional culture and values so it is natural for me - I have both fame and fortune, to have a much large family. This provides me with real integrate and value," he said.

Yu is already thinking about his family's future after he's gone. "More children means more choices, from which I will choose the most qualified heir to look after my family property," Yu added.
Page: 12



68th anniversary of Nanjing Massacre marked
China-Thailand navy drill
68th Anniversary of Nanjing Massacre Marked
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

China moves to fourth in global GDP rankings

 

   
 

Japan's huge military expense questioned

 

   
 

Nouveaux riches challenge one-child policy

 

   
 

68th anniversary of massacre marked

 

   
 

Putin: Toxic spill incident not to hurt ties

 

   
 

Drive for donations gets fillip

 

   
  China moves to fourth in global GDP rankings
   
  Demonstrators jump into the sea to protest
   
  Private firms crucial for employment
   
  Nation to tighten regulation of donations
   
  New blacklist to supervise employers
   
  Gas supply cut off due to shortage
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
China to cap population at 1.37 bln by 2010
   
State councilor: China should stick to family planning policy
   
New family planning reward policy slated
   
When 'little emperors' become parents...
   
Population peak may hinder development
   
Shanghai eases up family planning policy
   
Shanghai no longer encourages DINK family
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Manufacturers, Exporters, Wholesalers - Global trade starts here.
Advertisement