No Changes to China's One Child Policy

BEIJING (AP) - China's top family planning official says the
country won't consider changing its one-child policy for at least
another decade.
He's quoted in the China Daily Newspaper as saying there would
be major fluctuations in population growth if the rule were
abandoned now. And he says that would cause serious problems and
add extra pressure on social and economic development.
The official says any change in the policy would only be
considered after the end of China's next birth peak in 10 years.
Over the next decade, nearly 200 million people will enter
child-bearing years.
The policy, launched during the 70s, has prevented an additional
400 million births. China's population currently stands at 1.3
billion, growing 16 to 17 million annually.
Critics say the policy has led to forced abortions,
sterilizations and a dangerously imbalanced sex ratio due to a
traditional preference for male heirs.