Only 28 percent of Beijing's only children want a second child after they get married, even if government policy permits, according to a new survey carried out by a leading Chinese sociology professor.
The figure was released at the Beijing Forum 2007, an international forum on social development held over the weekend at Peking University, by Hou Yafei, a professor at the China National School of Administration in Beijing.
The survey said income levels, housing and the difficulties in raising a child were cited by only children as the main factors that would influence their decision to have children, China News Service reported.
In all Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, except for Henan, couples in which both parents are only children are allowed to have two children.
"Having a second child will create more economic pressures," media worker Jiang Xiejie told the Beijing News.
"Although we have already bought our house, in the future both my parents and my wife's will come and live with us so there is no room for a second child," he said.
Of the people surveyed, married "only child couples" who have not yet had a child wanted an average of 1.22 children. "Only child couples" who already have one child wanted an average of 1.4children.
But when contacted by Xinhua, Hou did not provide details about the sample surveyed, other than that they were all only children. She said the full academic report of the survey would be released soon by Peking University.
Hou said the low birth rate has continued in Beijing for nearly 20 years, the elderly population has increased rapidly and how to take care of the elderly has become a pressing problem for only children.
A report released by Peking University last month said the natural birth rate of the city has plateaued for the last five years. The report also predicted that the city's aged population would increase by 12 percent in the next 20 years, creating more demographic social problems for the local government.
Source: Xinhua
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