Family Planning Association releases second wave of pilot cities

China Family Planning Association released the second batch of pilot cities designated to launch publicity drives to advocate "a new concept of marriage and childbearing" on Thursday.

They will focus on a range of tasks which include promoting getting married and having children at adequate ages, encouraging parents to share childbearing responsibilities, and curbing the high costs of betrothal gifts and other outdated customs, said the association during an event held in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

The first batch of 20 cities or municipal-level districts in Beijing, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other provinces were announced in May of last year.

The second round of the program will be rolled out in 20 regions including Handan in Hebei province and Guangzhou in Guangdong province, said Yao Ying, vice president of the association.

"These pilot regions are expected to take innovative and proactive measures … to help foster fertility-friendly atmospheres and contribute to advancing Chinese modernization with support from the high-quality development of the population," she said.

The campaign has been rolled out because China is facing a low fertility rate, a rapidly aging population and uneven population growth across regions.

Wang Pei'an, executive vice president of the association, said that young people's perspective on marriage and childbearing have undergone changes in recent years.

"While striving to reduce costs of getting married, giving birth, rearing babies and education, it is also important to foster a new concept of marriage and childbearing, including motivating young people to get married at a proper age, encouraging couples to shoulder child rearing work together and promote healthy and civilized marriage customs," he said.

Dong Yuzheng, former president of Guangdong Academy of Population Development, urged for strengthened efforts to help youngsters address difficulties and achieve balance in marriage, child rearing, study and life. It is also important to spread the principles of gender equality and promote the sharing of responsibilities in raising babies between parents.