Two-child policy needs support

A boy with his younger brother. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Although the country has given the green light to all couples to have a second child, relevant government departments should introduce practical measures for the implementation of the welcomed but overdue policy as a way of dealing with an accelerating aging society.

Without auxiliary measures, the two-child policy may not produce the results expected by decision-makers.

The country has already permitted couples to have a second child when one of the couple is an only child, most of whom were born after 1980. The latest change to the family planning policy is mainly targeted at couples who were born before 1980.

Due to the age factor, those women born before 1980 have not much time to consider whether to give birth to a second child or not.

However, an online survey shortly after the announcement of the universal two-child policy found that a majority of women who had given birth, especially those in big cities, have no plan to have a second child, partly due to concerns over the high costs of raising a child and partly because of women's concerns over how giving birth a second time might affect their health.

Despite an ever-increasing per capita disposable income in China over the past years, most Chinese parents believe they are the most tired in the world because of their huge financial and energy inputs into the fierce competition for good education for their children.

Government departments in different regions of the country should come up with workable measures, such as preferential maternity leave, better medical services and subsidies, and reduce the educational pressures as soon as possible to encourage more couples to have a second child.