Shanghai Encourages Couples To Have Second Child

By Niam Seet Wei BEIJING, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- The Shanghai Municipality's family planning authorities are encouraging couples with just one child to have a second baby. According to China's family planning policy, single-child couples are allowed to have an additional baby. Currently, Shanghai, with a population of 14.21 million is facing an aging population like many other cities in China, whereby, 24.5 per cent are aged 60 and above. "The percentage is expected to reach 30 per cent by 2015," reported China Daily. About 7,000 families in Shanghai lost their single child currently, director of the municipality's population and family planning committee, Huang Hong, was quoted as saying. "Such families have different problems relating to social security, elderly care, medical services and spiritual counseling," she said. Hence, Huang said, Shanghai was considering to establish a special system to help them. However, she pointed out that economic situation, family's environment, working pressures and fertility conditions were among the major considerations of having a second child. -- BERNAMA