Guangdong to maintain child policy

The Guangdong family planning department confirmed Wednesday that it would stay in line with the national authorities and not make changes to current policies, in response to speculation that the province would apply for approval for couples to have a second child.

"Currently, Guangdong will not loosen the family planning policies," a source close to the Guangdong Provincial Population and Family Planning Commission told the Global Times on condition of anonymity.

Luo Wenzhi, director of the commission, said in a local radio program on Tuesday that the nation has decided not to carry out pilot reforms on the family planning policy and has not accepted any applications of this kind, stressing that there would be no major adjustment to the policy in the near future, the Guangzhou Daily reported.

Zhai Zhenwu, a vice president of the China Population Association, told the Global Times that he agreed with the second child policy as it will help to relieve the pressure caused by the potential aging issue in China.

But he added that the policy will not be changed in the near future given that the country has such a large population. "It might gradually step out as our economy, social security and education develop."