Wang，Zhen：Reform of the family planning policy
王贞（Wang，Zhen）
The family planning policy in China has suffered controversy. Recently there are many debates regarding whether to reform the family planning policy. Scholars who agree with the reform say that it should allow couples to have 2 children, scholars who oppose the reform say it is still too early, and should maintain the current situation. Nevertheless, the family planning policy is a double-edged sword, and improper implementation will bring a series of questions.
On one hand, after 30 years implementation of the family planning policy, China now faces serious population imbalance. Therefore, the ease of the population pressure in the short-term create other problems related to population, including gender imbalance, labor shortage, increasing pension pressure, and so on. Imbalanced sex ratio has become a noticeable social problem now. In the sixth census, statistics showed that male ratio was 51.27%, female 48.73%. Imbalanced gender will force many males with no marriage partners, female trafficking will increase, crime will rise, which create social instability. Some labor intensive industries with mainly women will face labor shortage, and so on.
On the other hand, China’s population base was too huge, and simply loosening family planning policy might aggravate above problems. China has just solved the problem of food self-support, and we sacrificed valuable energy and natural resources. China’s serious water shortage severely impedes the sustainable development of population. In addition, the traditional notion of more children, more blessings in China might speed up population growth and gender imbalance. Therefore, I personally think proper education and family planning consultation should be put in practice, and let people have a thorough change of conception.
A balanced population development plan is more important and more challenging than controlling the population size. Family planning policy makers in China should consider in the long-term, and bring China’s population to the track of sustainable development.
Wang，Zhen
5/23/2011 |
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