The current family planning policy that caused about 200 million abortions stays in place, but the government wants to clean up its promotional campaign by eliminating some of the coarser ads, such as, "If you don't get sterilised, your house will be demolished" or "If you want to hang yourself, we'll give you the rope".

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) - Chinese authorities have announced a friendlier communication strategy to promote the country's one-child policy, which allows couples to have only one child. According to some estimates, about 200 million abortions and post-natal murders were performed since the policy was adopted. However, an article in the Communist Party's official newspaper, the People's Daily, recently slammed local officials for coming up with phrases such as, "If you don't get sterilised, your house will be demolished" in promoting family planning.

The brainchild of Deng Xiaoping in the late 1970s, China's one-child policy is the foundation of the country's family planning.

Designed to limit population growth, it has caused major social imbalances. At present, 100 million men of marriageable age have no chance of finding a wife. At the same time, the population is aging, creating a major headache for couples that must face the task of raising one child whilst supporting six senior citizens.

Under the party's new directives, the policy is not going to change, only its advertising strategy.

According to the newspaper article, many of the current slogans are wrong and must be replaced by "friendlier" ones.

Some of the examples that are now passé are, "Kill all your family if you don't follow the rule"; "If you escape (sterilisation), we'll hunt you down"; or "If you want to hang yourself, we'll give you the rope".

The government would also like to stop selective abortions but it is running against a long-held Chinese preference for baby boys who traditionally are bearers of good luck.

The net effect of this cultural bias has been the death of millions of baby girls either through or post-natal murder. This has led to major sex imbalance in the country's population, which could lead to social unrest.

For this reason, the People's Daily is promoting the idea that "Caring for girls means caring for the future of the nation."

 

• china
• one-child
• policy
• moderate
• propaganda