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Chinese women 'want more babies' | Chinese women 'want more babies' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
The authorities in China say they have found that most Chinese women would like to have more than one child. | The authorities in China say they have found that most Chinese women would like to have more than one child. |
Family-planning officials say their research indicates that 70% of women want to have two babies or more. | Family-planning officials say their research indicates that 70% of women want to have two babies or more. |
Couples who ignore China's birth control policies usually pay fines and may face discrimination at work. | |
The authorities say the policy, which will not be relaxed, has prevented hundreds of millions of births and has helped to make people wealthier. | The authorities say the policy, which will not be relaxed, has prevented hundreds of millions of births and has helped to make people wealthier. |
The research was conducted in 2006 but has only been released now. | The research was conducted in 2006 but has only been released now. |
China has the world's biggest population, of more than 1.3 billion people. | |
It has restricted many families to one child since the late 1970s, though in most rural areas couples are allowed a second child if their first is a girl. Different birth-control policies also apply to some ethnic-minority groups. | |
As in other countries, for many Chinese women economic constraints may play a role in limiting the size of their families. | |
Little emperors | Little emperors |
The China Daily reported the survey results, which showed parents would like a son and a daughter, at least. | The China Daily reported the survey results, which showed parents would like a son and a daughter, at least. |
"Our research shows that 70.7% of women would like to have two or more babies," the China Daily quoted Jiang Fan, vice-minister of the National Family Planning Commission, as saying. | |
Most women, or 83%, want a son and a daughter, the survey said. | |
"Some mothers think only-children suffer from loneliness and can become spoiled," the minister was quoted as saying. | "Some mothers think only-children suffer from loneliness and can become spoiled," the minister was quoted as saying. |
Magazine editor Lin Ying, 26, told the newspaper she wanted to have two children in the next five years. | Magazine editor Lin Ying, 26, told the newspaper she wanted to have two children in the next five years. |
"Only children often grow up to be self-centred," she was quoted as saying. | |
The many only children of China have earned the nickname of "little emperors" for the love and treats lavished upon them. | The many only children of China have earned the nickname of "little emperors" for the love and treats lavished upon them. |
Despite the survey results, the commission said China would achieve its goal to keep its population within 1.36 billion by the end of next year. | Despite the survey results, the commission said China would achieve its goal to keep its population within 1.36 billion by the end of next year. |
"China's family planning policy underpins the country's economy and demographics," Li Bin, minister of the commission, was quoted as saying. | "China's family planning policy underpins the country's economy and demographics," Li Bin, minister of the commission, was quoted as saying. |
China's birth-control policies have been hugely controversial at home and abroad, as enforcement has involved forced abortions and other abuses. | |
It has also been blamed for a gender imbalance, as a traditional preference for boys has persuaded some parents to abort girl foetuses. | It has also been blamed for a gender imbalance, as a traditional preference for boys has persuaded some parents to abort girl foetuses. |
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