No baby boom from easing of China’s one-child policy

BEIJING: Chinese health officials say only 700,000 newly-qualified couples have applied for having a second child this year, far below earlier estimates that an easing in the country’s birth policy would add 1 million to 2 million extra births per year in the first few years. Zhao Yanpei, a senior official, said the number has been lower than expected but said it is too early to conclude how the new policy would affect China’s birth rate.