One-Child Policy in China

Child bearing is an inalienable right bestowed upon man by the creator. Any attempt to infringe on this right will be greeted with rejection. In 1979, China, under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping officially permitted couples to give birth to only a child. The objective of this policy is to control and reduce China’s population which sky-rocketed after Mao Zedong in 1950s and 1960s told Chinese women to bear as many children as they wished. He proclaimed that “of all things in the world, people are the most precious”. Therefore, more children; more precious things. Zedong’s policy and proclamation boosted China’s population.

Contrastingly, Chinese government argues that the policy is necessary to help the future generation, boost development and government catering for the people easily. Chinese government was afraid that their population may climb to 1.4 billion by the year 2000. When the policy was signed and announced in 1979, encouragements in form of financial incentive, preferential access to housing, health services, schools and other incentives were promised, to those who will stick to the policy. On the other hand, discouragement in form of financial levies on each additional child, abortion, sterilization firing of those in government jobs were also unveiled as threats to any disobedient citizen.

Strongest among other flaws of the one-child policy is its discrimination against female children. Capturing vividly the lines of Kane Pernny and Chio T. Ching: “Too many girls, if not aborted, face orphanages or second class lives concealed from the world and with reduced chances of schooling and health care”.

As a result “China has one of the world’s highest rates of suicide of women in the reproductive years”. Chinese widely use ultra-sound to identify fetal sex, if it be female, it would be aborted. The government believes that women increase the population by giving birth to other children. In China, aborting is as normal as taking Panadol tablet for headache relief in Nigeria.

The policy, however, is restricted to the Han Chinese which constitutes about 91.6% of China’s population and the urban cities. The minorities like Zhuang, Hui, Miao, Buyei and 51 others officially recognized and 11 others not recognized by the government are excluded from this policy. The rural areas are also excluded.

In spite of its considerable success, the policy is yet to gain full acceptance and compliance as many families prefer to pay the fines and have their children. Some women travel to nearby cities where the policy does not apply to have their children. In the words of Zeng Yinglong: “The concept of big families with many male descendent was deeply rooted in their (Chinese) mind…” It has become part and parcel of the people. Introduction of the one-child policy and its enforcement is like telling lions and lionesses not to eat flesh. Some Chinese still born more than one child secretly and only report one child. This happens mainly where there is female birth. Such birth will not be registered until a son or sons are born. Sure, the policy is stepping on thorns since its introduction by Deng Xiaoping in 1979. Some women go to the extent of running to the mountains and hide in caves – they prefer to live like barbarians than being restricted to one child. According to Zeng, these women would “rather eat wild vegetables and drink stream water than endure forced abortions and sterilization” which are some of the punishment of faulters. This policy is too draconian. Chinese hate it and is raising a lot of ethnic tension and unrest in China.

This policy is opposed to Emperor Zeng Yinglong of Dayou dynasty in Henan province who had one of his policies supporting unlimited child bearing: many children as you wish in his province and China at large. The policy also stands against the belief, proclamations and policies of Mao Zedong who in 1950s and 1960s permitted Chinese women to born as many children as they wished.

We all look forward to the day, the policy will be stopped and see Chinese women with at least six children each to enjoy the long term restricted child bearing gift of God.