One-child changes key to balanced population(2)

POPULATION SPIKE CONCERNS

Two days after the announcement, whether the changes will lead to a population spike has been a hot Internet topic, irrespective of family planning authorities insistence that the change will put not much pressure on food supplies or public services.

An online survey by newsifeng.com showed more than 63 percent of respondents keen have a second child, and about 30 percent saying no because of the high cost of raising a child.

Some 84 percent of the respondents said the change will have little influence on the total population, with only about 9 percent worried about a sudden increase. The survey had more than 190,000 respondents by Sunday afternoon.

Demographers however, argue that there is unlikely to be a population hike with the change of childbearing ideology and the increasing cost of raising a child. Chinese parents preferred to have many children in the past as they believed more offspring would bring more blessings and children were considered the best source of care for elders.

A survey by the NHFPC shows that some 15 million to 20 million people will benefit from the policy, but only about 50 to 60 percent of them are interested in having a second child.

"The policy change will not lead to population explosion: one or two children have met couples' fertility needs both in rural and urban areas," said Wu Cangping, an advisor with the China Population Association.

"The policy adjustment is not only to limit population growth, but also to propose a population development model which is commensurate with China's social and economic development," Wu added.