'Massive job cuts in China not at odds with 2-child policy'

Amid reports of massive job cuts in the face of sluggish growth, China today said the layoffs will not derail its newly-introduced two-child policy.
Such job losses are "temporary" and the relaxation of one-child policy is "a carefully-made decision", said Wang Guoqing, spokesman for Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the advisory legislative body which begins its annual session here tomorrow.
Wang was responding to a question if job losses amid China's move to cut down excessive capacity is in conflict with the prospect of more children.
The job losses resulting out of China's efforts to cut over capacity will not affect people's hopes to have more children, he told reporters.

The issue of slower economic growth is not only happening in China but the world over, he said, adding that some business are laying off workers and employees and that this a is temporary problem.
Latest reports said about five to six million workers may lose jobs in China as a result of the slowdown as Chinese economy fell below seven per cent last year.

Yin Weimin, Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, said two days ago that over 1.8 million workers from the coal and steel industry will lose their jobs in the massive restructuring.
China had earlier announced it will cut down three lakh troops out of its 2.3 million strong army, which is also the world's largest standing military.

In view of the massive layoffs, China has announced the establishment of USD 15.3 billion fund to assist those who lost their jobs as a result of industrial restructuring.
Referring to the introduction of two-child policy replacing the three-and-a-half-decade-old one-child policy to address future labour shortages, Wang said China will work to ensure its population grow in an orderly way.
China has since the beginning of this year abolished the controversial one-child policy, allowing all couples to have two children.
As China becomes an ageing society, worries of insufficient labour force have been on the rise.