China Increases Fee For Wealthy Beijing Couples Who Violate One-Child Policy

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs;  Abortion
Article Date: 16 Jan 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Beijing authorities have implemented new rules that will increase the fine couples pay if they have more than one child, China Daily reports. Deng Xingzhou, chief of Beijing's family planning commission, said that the rules are aimed at addressing concerns from lower-income families who say that wealthy couples can easily pay the fines and have more children (Xie Chuanjiao, China Daily, 1/14). According to the Irish Times, many observers see the situation as "emblematic of the rich-poor divide in China" (Coonan, Irish Times, 1/14).

China's one-child policy limits most families to one child, but couples in Beijing who wish to have multiple children can pay what is known as a social fostering or maintenance fee. China Daily reports that the fee is based on the average income per capita and is typically about three to eight times that figure. In 2008, official figures showed that the per capita income in Beijing was 24,725 yuan, or about $3,600, for urban residents and 10,747 yuan, or about $1,570, for rural residents (China Daily, 1/14). In addition to the fee increase, other measures have been implemented to stop wealthy couples from violating the policy, such as denying no-cost education and health benefits, banning them from winning national awards or publically naming them in the media, the Times reports (Irish Times, 1/14). The government does not plan to impose population restrictions on Beijing's migrant population because migrants have contributed to the city's growth, Deng said.

Although there are concerns about China's increasing aged population, Deng said population control measures "as a fundamental national policy will exist for another 20 years, when the country's population reaches a projected peak of 1.5 billion." He said the government had an initial goal to keep Beijing's population under 18 million by 2020 but that the population "is sure to exceed that." Beijing's population was about 16 million at the end of 2008 (China Daily, 1/14).

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