Family planning has been promoted as one of the basic state
policies in China, the policy combining government guidance with
voluntary compliance by citizens. The government guidance includes:
formulation by the central and local governments of policies and
legislation for controlling population growth, improving the
population quality and structure, as well as macro population
development plans. The governments also provide consultation,
instruction and technical services concerning reproduction care,
contraception, good childbirth and good rearing. Voluntary
compliance of citizens means that couples of child-bearing age,
with the provisions of the relevant state policies and regulations,
can choose appropriate contraception methods in a responsible and
planned way, in accordance with their age, health, employment and
financial situations.?
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The basic requirements of family planning are late marriage and
late childbearing, having fewer but healthier babies, especially
one child per couple. But a flexible family planning policy is
adopted for rural people and ethnic minorities. In rural areas,
couples may have a second baby in exceptional cases, but must wait
several years after the birth of the first child. In areas
inhabited by minority peoples, each ethnic group may work out
different regulations in accordance with its wish, population,
natural resources, economy, culture and customs: in general a
couple may have a second baby, or a third child in some places. As
for ethnic minorities with extremely small populations, a couple
may have as many children as they want.
Since the initiation of the family planning policy, late
marriage, late childbearing and fewer but healthier babies have
become the accepted norms of most people in China. Meanwhile,
family planning has helped Chinese women escape the burden of
frequent childbearing and heavy family responsibilities after
marriage, thus improving the health of mothers and children
alike.