"A planetary law, such as China's one-child policy, is the only way to reverse the disastrous global birthrate currently.... The world's other species, vegetation, resources, oceans, arable land, water supplies and atmosphere are being destroyed and pushed out of existence as a result of humanity's soaring reproduction rate," National Post editor-at-large Diane Francis wrote Dec. 8.
"Ironically, China, despite its dirty coal plants, is the world's leader in terms of fashioning policy to combat environmental degradation, thanks to its one-child-only edict."
The world's leaders, meeting at the climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, are failing to address the problem by proposing "giant wind farms" and "cap-and-trade subsidies," Francis said.
"None will work unless a China one-child policy is imposed," she wrote.
That's incredible, a pro-life bioethics specialist reacted.
"Can you believe it? China -- an unmitigated tyranny -- has become, among the hysterics like ... this writer, the country with policies worth emulating!" Wesley Smith wrote on his weblog Dec. 10. "Not one word decrying the terrible human rights violations of imposed abortion, female infanticide and China's explicitly eugenics policies.
"And yet, we are told the global warming agenda is so progressive, so humane," Smith said. "Anyone who doesn't see the potential that global warming could become the pretext for destroying human freedom and imposing death culture policies just isn't paying attention."
China has enforced population control on its people since 1979. Its policy limits couples in urban areas to one child and those in rural areas to two, if the first is a girl. Parents in cities may have second babies if the husband and wife are both only children.
Penalties for violations of the policy have included fines, arrests and the destruction of homes, as well as forced abortion and sterilization. Infanticide, especially of females, also has been reported.
The policy's severity has forced China's fertility rate (1.75 live births per woman) lower than replacement level, meaning its numbers are in a steep drop. Exclusive of immigration, 2.1 births per woman is the fertility level that ensures a non-declining population.
Importantly, the low birth rate means an age and gender crisis loom for China within the next two decades.
The most recent Chinese population survey indicates there are 120 males for every 100 females. The typical human population ratio would consist of 105 males to 100 females, meaning -- by Chinese government estimates -- that by the year 2020 there will be 24 million more men than women. The result will be dim marriage prospects, contributing even more to the lack of childbirths.
The dearth of children also means China eventually will lose its comparative labor advantage to competing countries such as India and Bangladesh. Population projections show that by 2030, India will become the world's most populous country, with 1.53 billion citizens compared to China's 1.45 billion. On top of that, China's shrinking working-age population will have to shoulder an increasing workload (financial and otherwise) of caring for a massively elderly population.
Chinese demographers also predict that in 2025 there will be a generation of only children in China. These children will have no siblings, aunts, uncles or cousins resulting in a social phenomenon of familial aloneness not seen on this scale.
Compiled by Baptist Press staff.
Copyright (c) 2009 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net
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