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Forced Abortions Continue in Parts of China

Regional officials reportedly disregard official national policy

By mockingbird, Newser User

Posted Oct 20, 2010 1:07 PM CDT | Promoted on Newser Oct 20, 2010 2:04 PM CDT

(User Submitted) – China's one-child policy, long a staple of its public policy for urban, ethnic Han Chinese, officially exists on the national level as a series of monetary incentives for those who hold to it and monetary punishments for those who run afoul. Numerous interviews and investigations, however, consistently uncover the policy as it is often applied: through forced, sometimes very late-term, abortions.

China's national government continues to hold to the position that such action is strictly against stated policy—a policy apparently routinely violated by local and regional authorities eager to meet population growth control guidelines in order to secure their lucrative party seats. Click through for the al-Jazeera story of Xiao Ai Ying, a woman whose second child was removed at 8 months in utero. More details at NPR.

Chinese grandparents and grandchildren play in a park in Dafeng, in east China's Jiangsu province. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan, file)

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Showing 3 of 11 comments

Speedbird

Oct 20, 2010 11:29 PM CDT

If there's no one-child policy in China and the population explodes there will be an absolute disaster, that much I can guarantee you. Why? Have a look at India. after 50 odd years of democracy and the green revolution the country still cannot feed itself. Nearly half of all Indian children are suffering from malnutrition, and 2 million die every year because of diseases related to malnutrition. The situation is so bad it's actually worse than in Sub-Saharan Africa. (Quoted from the BBC) The situation is now getting worse because of destruction of arable land due to over utilization of fertilizers such as Urea. This is why the Chinese has to implement strict population controls. However there is one bright spot with this policy though, Since parents cannot have more than one child they are forced to concentrate all of their resources to their only child, which means that Chinese children are generally better fed and achieve better academically.

templescroll

Oct 20, 2010 10:59 PM CDT

Chinese moms could always come to the U.S. and 'pop-out' 2-3 kids without sweatin' it...oh wait...they do, now we can work towards being over poplulated just like China. But forced abortions are deplorable, really.

Nerdbomb

Oct 20, 2010 6:52 PM CDT

There are too many people on this earth, and worst of all the poor, drug addicted, and dumb are reproducing at a devastating rate. This is a good policy.

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Forced Abortions Continue in Parts of China

Regional officials reportedly disregard official national policy

China • abortion • population control • one child policy

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Officials want more girls, but fear triggering baby boom

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Critics: Policy pushes abortions, sterilizations

China, India Overrun by ... Guys

Sex selection must be addressed, say researchers

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High property values make boys expensive, daughters attractive

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