One of the more prominent traits of being culturally Chinese are the strong family bonds that come with it... or so you'd think. A recent study of the elderly in Guangdong province proves otherwise. It appears that with the onset of modern life, the traditional practice of children supporting their parents is wearing away. more ›

New rumors have surfaced that China could be changing its infamous one-child policy. According to an independent demographer, He Yafu, the government will start allowing 2 children per couple in five of its provinces next year but skimpy sources makes this sound like another Chinese parent's pipe dream. more ›

Figures released by the National Population and Family Planning Commission have estimated China's population will reach 1.39 billion by the end of 2015, with those aged 60 or over topping 200 million people. Over the next five years, China's urban population will also surpass its rural counterpart, with city dwellers expected to exceed 700 million. more ›

While the one-child policy itself is actually loosening up a bit in China, it seems that couples are choosing to go the single kid route anyway... because of how much it would cost to raise one. more ›

Guess the two child incentive wasn't enough to make young people in Shanghai have more children. Statistics from the Shanghai population and family planning commission noted that almost 8% of couples of prime child bearing age are hesitant to have kids, up 3.37% from 2003. Reasons why include the rise of nursing costs and increasing competitive pressure at work. The lack of kids will only speed up the population aging trend, officials said, with estimates that by 2035, 40% of people in Shanghai will be older than 60. more ›

In a surprising about face on the one child policy, authorities in Shanghai have launched a campaign to encourage couples to have a second kid, as long as both of them were only children themselves. The Shanghai Population and Family Planning Commission said today that officials would be visiting these specific families, publicizing the policy for allowing a second child and providing consulting services. Why the change? It seems that Shanghai is getting increasingly worried about its growing elderly population and is hoping to prevent future labor shortages. So if you live in Shanghai, were an only child, and married someone else who was an only child, the government is now telling you to "Have Children." Source: Xinhua more ›

• Michael Jackson and China [Global Times] "Legends of the ilk of Michael Jackson die to leave behind both a legacy and an influence. For China, it is the latter, which is being discussed passionately today among thousands of his fans here after the music icon has passed away in a sudden cardiac arrest. There are all kinds of reactions to Michael Jackson's death here: shock, disbelief, grief or the feeling of being lost. But Ding Dawei, one of his numerous Chinese fans born in late 1960s, said he should have died a long time ago."
• Snitching for China leads to sorrow and exile [The Associated Press] "Dozens of small white scars mark the inside of Li Yuzhou's left arm, where he slashed himself repeatedly with a piece from a broken tea cup. The scars speak of his terror of being deported from Thailand back to China. Li has more reason to fear than most: He used to be an informant for China's secret police. When he learned his snitching had sent four innocent people to jail, he fled to Thailand. But now, after eight years, he and his family face being sent back to China, with his betrayals following them — first of his friends, and then of the Chinese government."
• Youth feel pressure of looking after aging parents [China Daily] "These young people were born into only-child families in the late 70s and early 80s under the national family planning policy and they now face the task of looking after two parents due to traditional filial piety as well as inadequate public services for aging people. A recent survey published by China Youth Daily found that nearly 70 percent of these young people feel incapable of taking good care of their parents because of pressures they face at work."

We all presumed that the one-child policy was going to lead to an aging population, but there's nothing like actual numbers to prove it: 96,700 babies were born in Shanghai last year, while 107,000 people died, according to an official report. more ›