Sociology professor on how China’s new two-child policy to help economy

There are high hopes that the historic shift from China’s one-child policy to allowing couples to have two children could help ease the problem of an aging population.

The country’s current low birth rate and growing elderly population will impact the economy as the labor force decreases, said Chen Wei, a sociology and population studies professor at Beijing’s Renmin University.

He estimates that the new two-Child policy will lead to 20 million more children. And while he does not believe that will play a “decisive role” in China’s economy, he said the growth will help.

“They will contribute to the increase of domestic demand, including the education market and real-estate market,” he said, while adding that the most important factor in growing the economy is economic reforms.

“If couples are allowed to have two children, many social problems like labor shortages can be resolved. Besides, I think it will be good for kids themselves,” one Beijing resident told CGTN.

(CGTN)