Beijing, China, Jan 4, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- Some Chinese scholars and government officials have challenged China’s family planning approach, which restricts families to one child. At a recent forum on population, they recommend relaxing the policy and allowing couples to have two children.
 
The forum, hosted at Beijing University, came to the consensus that China should reflect on its policy scientifically and economically and seek proper resolutions to the serious gender imbalance, caused by male preference and selective abortions, and the growing aging population, reported Shanghaidaily.com.

Currently, people above age 65 make up 7.6 percent of China's total population, and the average ratio of boys to girls is 117 to 100, exceeding the norm of 105 to 100.

Economists at the forum argued that these problems would impact long-term economic growth and cause economic and social problems.

China’s family planning policy, launched in the late 1970s, limits urban families to one child, but allows for two children in rural families if the first child is a girl. The policy does not limit the number of children in families of ethnic groups. The one-child policy has prevented an estimated 300 million births.

The Shanghaidaily.com reported that official statistics show that China now ranks in the low-birth-rate club with a natural population growth rate of 0.9 per 1,000.

10:03 pm | Pro-abortion lobbies ‘incensed’ at Stupak deal to pass health care

01:04 pm | Over 1,500 attend Philadelphia men’s conference

12:34 pm | Post office rate hike on mailings critical of homosexuals in the military overruled

11:05 am | Jesus is Justice in person, declares Benedict XVI at Angelus

07:50 am | Knights of Columbus rallying against ‘immoral' Philippines contraception campaign

Indian regional government increases cash incentives for sterilization

HLI urges Bush administration to rescind population-control policy