{"id":8337,"date":"2019-10-21T23:52:50","date_gmt":"2019-10-21T23:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/chinese-reading\/learning-chinese-what-039-s-a-birth-worth\/"},"modified":"2019-10-21T23:52:50","modified_gmt":"2019-10-21T23:52:50","slug":"learning-chinese-what-039-s-a-birth-worth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinesemoment.com\/de\/learning-chinese-what-039-s-a-birth-worth\/","title":{"rendered":"[Learning Chinese] What's a birth worth?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By this token, some joked that if former NBA star Yao Ming and his wife Ye Li planned to have more children, they could face an SMF fine of 1.4 billion yuan ($222.9 million) in Shanghai. If their children were born in Beijing, a city with one of the country’s harshest penalties for breaches of the family planning policy, they could be charged 4.6 billion yuan, roughly 20 times their annual income. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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He Yafu, an independent scholar of the one-child policy, estimated that over 2 trillion yuan in <\/span>revenue<\/span><\/b> from fines has been collected natio<\/em>nwide since the policy’s inception decades ago. The soaring amount has ignited public discussion over how the mo<\/em>ney is spent and whether the penalty should still be imposed as China braces for problems stemming from its aging population. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Tracking the revenue <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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The SMF was introduced in 2002 to replac direct fines imposed against people who breached China’s family planning policy, which since 1979 has o<\/em>nly permitted one child per couple. Its amount is determined based on the income level of offenders, although some couples – such as rural parents, <\/span>ethnic minorities<\/span><\/b>, and parents without siblings them-selves – are legally permitted to have multiple children. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Former Olympic diving champion Tian Liang and his wife Ye Yiqian became the latest celebrities involved in family planning <\/span>controversy<\/span><\/b>. After they welcomed their second child, a boy, at a Hong Kong hospital last month, anticipation was high that they would be required to pay 2 million yuan ($317,082) for the SMF. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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"China has no detailed records a<\/em>bout exactly just how much mo<\/em>ney has been paid in fees since the <\/span>one-child policy<\/span><\/b> was implemented, so the figure of 2 trillion yuan was calculated <\/span>conservatively<\/span><\/b>," He told the Global Times. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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If all couples required to adhere to the one-child policy had abided by it, the country’s population would have been 1.1 billion in 2000. The fifth natio<\/em>nal census, co<\/em>nducted in 2000, put the country’s population at 1.26 billion, indicating that at least 150 million to 200 million babies were born in breach of the policy, He said. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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"Co<\/em>nsidering SMF penalties have varied over the past three decades, I estimate that the average amount paid by couples is a<\/em>bout 10,000 yuan," He said. "This would amount to total revenue from fines being between 1.5 to 2 trillion yuan. But who can tell wher this mo<\/em>ney goes?" <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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While official figures might be lacking, local governments have received the bulk of SMF money. Zhejiang collected 894 million yuan in SMF revenue in 2009, which for the first time surpassed so-called "management fees" collected by business supervisory authorities in the province. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Elsewher in East China, SMF revenue in Anhui Province topped 845 billion yuan in 2010, up 61 percent year-on-year, according to Beijing weekly newspaper, the Investor Journal. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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How mo<\/em>ney is directed varies between provinces. The Journal reported that in Shandong Province, 85 percent of SMF revenue is<\/span> <\/span>distributed<\/span><\/b> to county-level family planning authorities. How the mo<\/em>ney is then spent remains<\/span> <\/span>unclear<\/span><\/b>. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Song Xiaobin, an official from the family planning department in Shaoyang, Hunan Province, told the Global Times that SMF revenue in the city is two to six times higher than other parts of China. SMF revenue is not at the <\/span>disposal<\/span><\/b> of the family planning department, Song added. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Fee collecting ‘terrorism’ <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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In extreme cases when a couple delays or refuses to pay its SMF, some local authorities have <\/span>intervened<\/span><\/b> and placed their children in <\/span>foster<\/span><\/b> care. Offending parents can also be detained or have mo<\/em>ney taken from their bank accounts to pay the SMF. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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To ensure strict adherence to the law, the central government allows local governments to make their own regulations regarding <\/span>enforcement<\/span><\/b> of the one-child policy. It’s a move that hasn’t been without controversy. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Zeng Yougao, a resident from Gaofeng village in Shaoyang, had two children before he and his wife had twins in 2009, bringing their family to six. At the time, Zeng’s annual income was around 10,000 yuan. He was ordered to pay 3,000 yuan for each of his twins. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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"We initially agreed to pay the SMF. However, they asked for 10,000 yuan o<\/em>nly a week later," Zeng told the Global Times. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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In another case, Yang Zhizhu, a former associate professor at the China Youth University for Political Sciences, was <\/span>dismissed<\/span><\/b> and fined for having a second child. Yang branded the SMF scheme as "fee collecting terrorism." <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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"Local authorities can randomly decide how much mo<\/em>ney you should pay without co<\/em>nsidering real living and income standards," Yang said, adding that he couldn’t afford his SMF of 240,000 yuan demanded by family planning authorities in Haidian district, Beijing. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Push for reform <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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An official surnamed Dai from Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, was exposed in 2010 of asking a mother for an 800,000-yuan SMF, warning that the amount would double overnight if she didn’t pay. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Song Jian, an associate professor with the School of Sociology and Population Studies at the Renmin University of China, said that fining offending parents was controversial, although necessary. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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"The SMF aims to ensure family planning moves in the same direction as the natio<\/em>nal <\/span>blueprint<\/span><\/b> of curbing the population. The fee is reasonable," Song said. <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Acknowledging criticism over the lack of transparency, Song said mo<\/em>ney should be used to compensate families who have more than one child to ensure their children all receive equal opportunities.<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

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Chinese you need: <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

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<\/em>ink1″><\/a><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Family planning policy<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/a><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u8ba1\u5212\u751f\u80b2\u653f\u7b56<\/span> (jì huà sh\u0113ng yù zhèng cè)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Social maintenance fee (SMF)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u793e\u4f1a\u629a\u517b\u8d39<\/span> (sh<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>è<\/span> hu<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>ì<\/span> f<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01d4<\/span> y<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01ce<\/span>ng f<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>è<\/span>i)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Revenue<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u6536\u76ca<\/span> (sh\u014du yì)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Ethnic minority<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u5c11\u6570\u6c11\u65cf<\/span> (sh<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01ce<\/span>o sh<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>ù<\/span> m<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>í<\/span>n z<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>ú<\/span>)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Controversy<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u4e89\u8bae<\/span> (zh\u0113ng yì)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>One-child policy<\/span> <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u72ec\u751f\u5b50\u5973\u653f\u7b56<\/span> (d<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>ú<\/span> sh<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u0113<\/span>ng z<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01d0<\/span> n<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01da<\/span> zh<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>è<\/span>ng c<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>è<\/span>)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Conservatively<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u4fdd\u5b88\u5730<\/span> (b<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01ce<\/span>o sh<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01d2<\/span>u de)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Distribute<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u5206\u914d<\/span> (f\u0113n pèi)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Unclear<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u4e0d\u6e05\u695a\u7684<\/span> (b<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>ù<\/span> q<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u012b<\/span>ng ch<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01d4<\/span> de)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Disposal <\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u5904\u7f6e<\/span> (ch<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01d4<\/span> zh<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>ì<\/span>)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Intervene<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u5e72\u6d89<\/span> (g\u0101n shè)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Foster<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u5bc4\u517b\u7684<\/span> (j<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>ì<\/span> y<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u01ce<\/span>ng de)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Enforcement<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u6267\u884c<\/span> (zhí xíng)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>Dismiss<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\uff1a<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span><\/em>ink2″><\/em>ink1″>\u89e3\u96c7<\/span> (ji\u011b gù)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Blueprint<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/b>\uff1a<\/span><\/b>\u84dd\u56fe<\/span> (lán tú)<\/span><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n