A week ago, the Chinese government released a new "Five Year Plan". This is an economic and social plan for the entire country. Part of the plan announced stated that people could choose to have two children if desired.
I have had many people ask what the Chinese people think of this change. As I have talked to several of my friends, they have all said that they and their friends are excited because now they have a choice. They and their spouse get to choose what is best for their family. They said this is the first time in a generation they have had freedom to choose.
Wow, that is something so basic that as an American I really take for granted.
However, all of my friends said that most Chinese will still have only one child unless the oldest is a girl because it is culturally ingrained to have only once child and because having children in China is so expensive. They think this will widen the Chinese rich-poor gap. The rich will have two children, the poor will have one.
In China, there is free public education, but it is sub par and most opt to pay for a better education. This runs families $350 USD per month. The median income in China is $8,315 so education is almost half of a yearly salary. Coupled with how spoiled the children are; they are literally called "little emperors and empresses," I can see how raising a child in China is expensive and why only the well to do would opt for two children.
We have overheard many Chinese talking about the policy and they remark that people better have their second child quickly, before the government changes their mind.
The 2015 Five Year Plan is meant to lessen the gender gap, but time will tell if this goes as planned.
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