.....Says announcement is ruse to gain more support for Beijing Olympics in face of criticism of China's human rights abuses

By Hilary White, February 29, 2008, LifeSiteNews.com

LONDON - Reports appearing yesterday in Reuters and the Guardian alleged that the Chinese government, worried about demographic trends, may begin "incrementally" to phase out its one-child policy, condemned for years by western observers for its use of forced abortion and sterilization. But the London-based Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, says the announcement is a ruse to secure more public support for the upcoming Beijing Olympics in the face of criticism of China's human rights abuses

Vice Minister of the National Population and Family Planning Commission, Zhao Baige, told reporters in Beijing, "We want incrementally to have this change." She said the government will "study" the issue "seriously and responsibly," but still wanted to avoid any changes that might cause a sudden increase in the birth rate.

Currently, according to 2007 statistics, China's overall fertility rate stands at 1.75 children born per woman, well below the rate necessary to maintain a steady population. Recent news reports have said that the Chinese one child policy - which has been in place since the 1970's and, despite recent changes to the law, still involves forced or coerced abortion and sterilizations - has caused a dangerous gender imbalance in a society that prefers boys to girl babies.

Zhao claimed that the policy has been softened in recent years, saying, "Minority groups already have two children, even three, and in the cities like Shanghai and Beijing, a lot of only children are already released (to have two)....TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE GO TO: http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/feb/08022905.html

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