 In some provinces, 130 boys are born for each 100 gir |
More than 24 million Chinese men of marrying age could find themselves without spouses by 2020, says the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The gender imbalance among newborns is the most serious demographic problem for the country's population of 1.3 billion, says the academy. It cites sex-specific abortions as a major factor, due to China's traditional bias towards male children.
This is especially true in rural areas, and ultra-sound scans, first introduced in the late 1980s, have increased the practice.
Forced prostitution
The latest figures show that for every 100 girls born in China, 119 boys are born, the academy says in a new book.
Researcher Wang Guangzhou, quoted by the Global Times newspaper, said the implications were that men in poorer parts of China may remain single throughout their life.
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Experts at the academy also predict the gender imbalance will lead to more inter-generational marriages, where a wife is older than her husband.
"Young couples either don't want to have a second child, or would prefer to live a DINK (Double Income No Kid) life."
While analysts admit there is definitely a pronounced gender imbalance in China, they also say that exact information is difficult to obtain because some families are thought to avoid registering female babies in order to make it easier for them to have a second child.
Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8451289.stm
Vocabulary:
ReplyDelete1. Demographic (adj)
a single vital or social statistic of a human population, as the number of births or deaths.
e.g. There have been monumental social and demographic changes in the country.
2. Cite/ Quote (v)
to mention in support, proof, or confirmation.
e.g The lawyer cited a previous case to support his argument.
e.g The judge quoted various cases in support of his opinion.
3. Prostitution (n.)
the act or practice of engaging in sexual intercourse for money.
e.g It was poverty that reduced her to prostitution.
4. Implication (n.)
something implied or suggested as naturally to be inferred or understood.
e.g I resent your implication that my work is unsatisfactory.
5. Pronounced (adj)
clearly indicated
e.g He spoke with a pronounced English accent.
SUMMARY:
ReplyDeleteThis article is about gender imbalance problem among Chinese. Gender selection abortions are common in China because most Chinese have traditional bias towards having male children.
The last paragraph implied that “One Child Policy” may be the main cause of gender imbalance in China.
Most Chinese believe that male can make profit and support the family when he grows up, also they want to have a son to carry on the family name.
Experts predict the gender imbalance will lead to more inter-generational marriages in next generation.