China has a major abortion problem, evidenced by new statistics showing that the country averages around 13 million surgical abortions and 10 million abortions via pills each year.
The real number, however, is probably much, much higher since those stats don’t capture many abortions performed in rural regions and at unlicensed clinics.
Meanwhile, the China family planning czars (how long before Obama appoints one of those … oh, wait) say that they aren’t easing restrictions on the country’s one-child policy, despite some indications to the contrary.
CNSNews.com reports that officials are now encouraging couples to have a second child due to economic concerns:
[F]amily planning officials in China?s biggest city and commercial center are now actively encouraging couples in that category to have their permitted second child, in a bid to counter the rapid graying of Shanghai?s population and prevent future labor shortages.
The city?s family planning chief, Xie Lingli, told Chinese media last week that officials would make home visits to eligible families and ensure they were aware of their right to have a second child. Emotional and financial counseling would also be offered.
According to Xie, 97 percent of families in the city of nearly 19 million people have only one child. At the same time, more than 21 percent of the total population is aged over 60, a proportion that is expected to rise to around 34 percent by 2020.
?The rising number of retirees will put pressure on the younger generation and the social security system,? she said.
Ah, the nightmare of centrally planned family planning.
